Fort-Liberté’s Ok-Navaval set a brand new normal for regional Carnival celebrations, drawing thousands and thousands into the streets with dazzling costumes, pulsating rhythms, and an electrifying environment. From March 2–4, the festivities highlighted the town’s cultural dexterity and organizational prowess, proving that the Northeast area can stage a world-class occasion with out counting on Port-au-Prince.
FORT-LIBERTÉ—Over three days of pulsating drumbeats and dazzling artistry, Haiti’s northeast metropolis of Fort-Liberté hosted its largest-ever Carnival, rebranded this yr as Ok-Navaval. The occasion shattered participation data, drawing thousands and thousands into the streets from daybreak to the early hours of the morning. Spanning March 2–4 and culminating on Mardi Gras, the historic celebration was greater than only a spectacle—it was a press release.
From intricately designed masks to towering, hand-carved floats, Ok-Navaval was a daring show of the town’s artistic prowess. Organizers sought to show that Haiti’s Carnival may rival the world’s most famed celebrations, mixing time-honored traditions with a recent creative imaginative and prescient.
Since Sunday, the streets of Fort-Liberté have vibrated with the vitality of rara bands, fanfares, and ornamental floats as kids, elders, and revelers in shimmering costumes danced by means of the wee hours within the historic port city. The colourful costumes and artistic masks amazed spectators of all ages, main as much as a grand finale on Mardi Gras.
Artisans spent months perfecting elaborate designs, remodeling the town right into a residing, respiration tapestry of colour.
“For the primary time in Fort-Liberté’s historical past, now we have drawn such an enormous crowd for Carnival. This sends a transparent message to the authorities in Port-au-Prince—our area has the expertise and capability to thrive by itself.”
Louis Jacque Junior Etienne, principal mayor of Fort-Liberté
Past the revelry, Ok-Navaval carried a deeper message. Organizers wove themes of social justice into the festivities, utilizing the huge platform to deal with points comparable to violence in opposition to girls and kids, encouraging members to undertake accountable behaviors. Neighborhood teams staged performances advocating for sustainability and inclusion, guaranteeing that the spirit of Carnival prolonged past the celebrations.
Tight safety measures had been in place all through the festivities, and authorities confirmed that no accidents or fatalities had been reported in the course of the three-day occasion—a uncommon feat for such a big gathering. Officers credited the cautious coordination between native police, safety forces, and occasion organizers for guaranteeing that Ok-Navaval remained a joyful and incident-free celebration.
For a lot of, this yr’s occasion felt like a turning level. The record-breaking crowds and seamless execution underscored what Fort-Liberté’s Carnival committee sought to show: that the Northeast area possesses each the cultural dexterity and managerial experience to stage a world-class Carnival—with out counting on Port-au-Prince’s authorities.
“For the primary time in Fort-Liberté’s historical past, now we have drawn such an enormous crowd for Carnival. This sends a transparent message to the authorities in Port-au-Prince—our area has the expertise and capability to thrive by itself,” stated Louis Jacques Junior Etienne, principal mayor of Fort-Liberté..
Here’s a show of photographs that seize the vitality, artistry, and spirit of the three-day festivities
Sunday March 2 The primary day of the Fort-Liberté carnival festivities
The Claire Heureuse group dressed as Haitian historic figures paraded by means of the streets of Fort-Liberté, in the course of the first day of the carnival festivities on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions.. A gaggle of women showcasing conventional ancestral attire and regional handcrafted basket in the course of the Fort-Liberté carnival festivities on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions. A gaggle of women showcasing conventional ancestral attire and regional handcrafted basket in the course of the Fort-Liberté carnival festivities on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions. Masqueraders staging a marriage couple on a mule a peasant custom in Haiti’s areas on the attire as married of Fort-Liberte. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions. A gaggle staged a funeral procession with a home made coffin, performing within the streets of Fort-Liberté in the course of the festivities branded as Ok-Navaval on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francosque for The Haitian Occasions. A younger boy from Fort-Liberté wearing black to characterize the occult group “Further Terrestrial on the Fort-Liberté carnival festivities on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions. A younger boy from Fort-Liberté wearing black to characterize the occult group “Further Terrestrial on the Fort-Liberté carnival festivities on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions. A gaggle of younger boys from Fort-Liberté wearing black to characterize the occult group “Further Terrestrial on the Fort-Liberté carnival festivities on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions. A gaggle of younger boys from Fort-Liberté wearing black to characterize the occult group “Further Terrestrial on the Fort-Liberté carnival festivities on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions. A consultant of a Queens Gouloupette performing within the streets of Fort-Liberté in the course of the festivities branded as Ok-Navaval on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francosque for The Haitian Occasions. Completely different folklore teams amongst them the Ibo group showcased vibrant conventional rhythm dances, bringing ancestral beats to life in the course of the Ok-Navaval festivities in Fort-Liberté on March 2, 2025. Picture taken by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Completely different folklore teams amongst them the Ibo group showcased vibrant conventional rhythm dances, bringing ancestral beats to life in the course of the Ok-Navaval festivities in Fort-Liberté on March 2, 2025. Picture taken by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Completely different folklore teams amongst them the Ibo group showcased vibrant conventional rhythm dances, bringing ancestral beats to life in the course of the Ok-Navaval festivities in Fort-Liberté on March 2, 2025. Picture taken by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Completely different folklore teams amongst them the Ibo group showcased vibrant conventional rhythm dances, bringing ancestral beats to life in the course of the Ok-Navaval festivities in Fort-Liberté on March 2, 2025. Picture taken by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Completely different folklore teams amongst them the Ibo group showcased vibrant conventional rhythm dances, bringing ancestral beats to life in the course of the Ok-Navaval festivities in Fort-Liberté on March 2, 2025. Picture taken by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian A road vendor together with his wheelbarrow is promoting drinks to a cheering crowd in the course of the carnaval festivities in Fort-Liberté branded as Ok-Navaval on March 2, 2025. Picture by Edxon Francisque for The Haitian Occasions. Revelers danced to the beat of the musical group and road bands in the course of the carnaval festivities in Fort-Liberté branded as Ok-Navaval on March 2, 2025. Picture taken by Edxon Frabcisque on March 2, 2025 for The Haitian Occasions Revelers danced to the beat of the musical group and road bands in the course of the carnaval festivities in Fort-Liberté branded as Ok-Navaval on March 2, 2025. Picture taken by Edxon Frabcisque on March 2, 2025 for The Haitian Occasions
