Afro-Karibe Festival Brings Art, Memory & Soul to St. Maarten

-Klysha Best

Most Caribbean festivals promise a good time. The inaugural Afro-Karibe Festival (AFKA) , running June 25^th to 28^th, 2026, promises something more: a chance to dance, eat, and listen and also to remember, reflect, and reclaim.

Born from a partnership between Art Agency Foundation (the force behind Axum Art Café) and the St. Maarten National Heritage Museum, AFKA isn’t just another cultural event. The name says it all: “AF” for Africa, “KA” for Karibe, a deliberate celebration of the deep, living thread between the Caribbean and the African continent.

For festival-goers tired of surface-level experiences, AFKA delivers. 

Over four days, you’ll find: Live music from Curaçao jazz icon Izaline Calister and regional artists, the island’s first-ever international art fair (over 20 visual artists), film screenings, dance, workshops for all ages, artisan markets, and open-air cultural activations, plus family-friendly spaces and kid-focused activities.

But the heart of AFKA is education and heritage. As creative director Menelik Arnell puts it: “We are here to remind people that the history of slavery does matter  and why it must be remembered.”

Arnell says Caribbean culture is often reduced to “color, rhythm, and spectacle.” 

AFKA aims to change that. The festival creates a space where locals and visitors can engage with the region’s layered identity, through art, dialogue, and shared experience, without losing the joy of a Caribbean celebration.

“We believe it’s time we control the narrative and offer a broader, richer perspective of who we are as a people.”

Tickets for the event are available via: www.afrokaribefestival.com