Our Story

Caribbean Carnival/Friends Of Culture is registered in the state of Louisiana as a non-profit organization with the Secretary of State’s Office in June 2001.

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From 2001 to 2003, we worked under the umbrella of a now-defunct organization called the International Arts and Cultural Foundation, aka, Inter-Fest.  In 2002 we hosted our first carnival in Armstrong Park, with D J’s entertaining the audience.  The feedback was tremendous, and we knew we had to plan a bigger event for the following year.  The Mighty Swallow from the island of Antigua graced us with his presence in 2003.  We hosted our first street parade Caribbean Style starting from Harrahs Casino ending in Armstrong Park, spectators were amazed at the design of the costumes.

 

In 2004 CC/FOC branched out on its own by bringing in Byron Lee & The Draggoniers from Jamaica to perform for our carnival, aka, Bayou Bacchanal.  With Hurricane Ivan bearing down on the Caribbean and missed  New Orleans we had to post-phone the carnival from September to October.

 

We obtained our certified non-profit status in March 2005.  We are the premier Caribbean organization in the state of Louisiana.

 

We have been working with a steel pan music instructor from Trinidad & Tobago for the past six years, which has helped us establish a music enrichment program.  We have been working under the umbrella of Young Audiences.,  we also host workshops in different schools, performing in senior citizens centers as well.

 

We are the host organization of National Caribbean American Heritage Month, there’s a chapter in Monroe, La as well.

 

Marilyn C. LaForce from the island of St. Lucia is the founder and CEO, and chief financial officer of

Caribbean Carnival/Friends of Culture.