On Friday, Aug. 19, the City of Philadelphia officially kicked off a weekend of Caribbean celebrations in Philadelphia, as officials including City Rep. Sheila Hess and Councilmember David Oh joined the American Caribbean Alliance Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago for a flag raising at City Hall in honor of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the island nation’s independence from Great Britain.

On Saturday, Aug. 20, the party continued with the city’s first-ever All U.S. Caribbean Independence Festival, celebrating the independence of all the Caribbean nations. The event was sponsored by Oh’s office, the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago, Consulate General of Trinidad and Tobago, Consulate of Jamaica, American Caribbean Alliance Foundation, and the City of Philadelphia.

It started with a march very much like the Olympics, with every nation represented by performers, models donning colorful carnival outfits, and everyday attendees, setting out from City Hall and making their way to Liberty Plaza on Independence Mall.

There, vendors set up, soca pulsed from the DJ booth, and the Philly T&T Rhythm Makers featuring Dane Osbourne provided the steelpan, drums and more. 

That’s when AL DÍA arrived on the scene, drawn by the music that could be heard up and down Independence Mall. The arrival was perfectly timed with the beginning of a fashion show featuring Caribbean models from Philadelphia and the surrounding Tri-State Area.

Check out some of the scenes captured below: