Yesterday marked the 39th anniversary of CariFest, Rochester’s celebration of Caribbean heritage and unity.
The Rochester West Indian Festival Organization, Inc. is celebrating 42 years in the City of Rochester, and every year, the city comes alive for RWIFO's annual Carifest Festival and Parade. Now in its 39th year, the parade makes its way through downtown Rochester, NY followed by the festival at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park on August 09, 2025.
Beyond the costumes, music and the food, CariFest tells a story of migration, perseverance, and the richness of cultures that have shaped the city for over a century. Festival Organization organizes the parade — which kicked off at West Main Street and Plymouth Avenue and wound its way downtown — and the festival that followed at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park.
