Haitian Heritage Month is here — a celebration of Haiti’s history, culture and the contributions of Haitian immigrants and Haitian Americans. While Haitian Heritage Month centers around the annual Haitian Flag Day on May 18, which commemorates the creation of the Haitian flag in 1803 — the month-long celebration in the United States grew out of community-led efforts in Boston during the late 1990s and later expanded nationally through parades, flag raisings, concerts, educational programs and cultural festivals.
Haitians have long been part of New York City’s immigrant history. Brooklyn is home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the United States. On a state level, New York also has one of the largest Haitian populations, alongside Florida and Massachusetts.
Today, the immigration debate surrounding Haitian communities remains especially intense. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the United States who rely on Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a humanitarian program that allows people from countries facing armed conflict, environmental disaster or extraordinary conditions to temporarily live and work legally in the U.S, now face an uncertain future. In 2025, the Trump administration moved to shorten and later terminate Haiti’s TPS designation, triggering legal challenges and widespread concern among Haitian immigrants, advocates, immigration lawyers and elected officials. Federal courts have temporarily blocked some parts of the administration’s actions, while broader legal battles continue to unfold at the Supreme Court level.
Against this backdrop of fear and litigation, Haitian Heritage Month is carrying a different kind of weight this year — but for many, that also means that there is all the more reason to come together to find community and camaraderie this month. Throughout May, there will be a range of public events such as parades, concerts, workshops, panels, and community gatherings across New York City — all celebrating Haitian Heritage. Many events will take place in Brooklyn, with additional programs being held in other boroughs.
Here’s a selection of events you can attend to commemorate the 2026 Haitian Heritage Month in New York.
7th Annual Haitian Culture Day Parade & Festival
The Annual Haitian Culture Day Parade and Festival is one of Brooklyn’s largest Haitian Heritage Month celebrations. The parade travels through Little Haiti and Little Caribbean featuring music, dance performances, cultural groups, community organizations and family activities.
This year, the celebration will boast colorful floats, marching bands, and live performances by Tabou Combo, Anie Alerte, Andybeatz, Colmix and Steves J Bryan under the theme “We Belong.”
- Date & Time: Saturday, May 9, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Address: Nostrand Ave & Church Ave (Parade Start) to Hillel Plaza (Festival), Brooklyn, NY 11210
- Tickets: Free Ticket via Eventbrite
Ti Atis (Little Artist) Haitian Heritage Month Selebrasyon!
Haiti Cultural Exchange‘s Ti Atis Second Saturday season finale will celebrate Haitian Heritage Month with a full day of family activities, including dance, storytelling, Haitian games, arts workshops and cultural programming. The event includes cyanotype printing with Nica Drice, Haitian games with Justine A.P. Louis of VivLiv Books, folkloric dance with Robenson Mathurin and a pikliz-making workshop led by Brooklyn Children’s Museum culinary resident Rogers Burgers NYC. Check out the full program schedule here.
- Date & Time: Saturday, May 9, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Address: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213
- RSVP/Tickets
Roots & Rhythm: A Folkloric Experience with Sherley Davilmar
A free immersive Haitian dance workshop presented by Harlem Dance Club and guest artist Sherley Davilmar, will explore the sacred and social movement traditions of Haiti. The session focuses on Haitian folkloric dance forms such as Yanvalou and Rara, blending movement, cultural history and rhythmic expression through recorded live drumming that evokes the spirit of the Haitian lakou.
The workshop aims to situate Haitian dance within its African roots and examines how movement functions as both cultural memory and resistance. Participants will be guided through foundational steps while also learning the historical and spiritual context behind each form, creating an educational and embodied cultural experience open to all levels.
- Date & Time: Saturday, May 9, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Address: Pelham Fritz Recreation Center, 18 Mount Morris Park West, New York, NY 10027
- The event is free
Kreyol Connection at Haiti Cultural Exchange
An evening of networking and culture hosted by The Haitian Roundtable to celebrate the opening of the new home of Haiti Cultural Exchange. Light refreshments and cocktails will be served.
- Date & Time: Tuesday, May 12, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Address: Haiti Cultural Exchange, 35 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
- RSVP here
Mizik Ayiti Residency Spring Series: Twoubadou Lakay
A live music residency presented by Haiti Cultural Exchange featuring Twoubadou Lakay, a Haitian musical collective dedicated to preserving and reimagining Twoubadou, a traditional Haitian folk music rooted in storytelling, acoustic guitar, and rural lakou culture. The residency brings together rotating musicians for intimate performances that blend traditional Haitian rhythms with jazz and improvisation, creating a contemporary interpretation of a historic sound.
The May 14 performance is the last part of a five-week-long spring series that highlights Haitian musical heritage while offering space for experimentation and collaboration among artists.
- Date & Time: Thursday, May 14, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Address: Haiti Cultural Exchange, 35 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
- RSVP here
Haitian Flag Day Celebration
A Haitian Flag Day observance, organized by Centre Culturel, Spirituel & Traditionel (CCST), will bring together youth and adults through workshops, performances, and cultural education celebrating the meaning and legacy of the Haitian flag.
The Youth Session takes place at Brooklyn College and includes agricultural workshops, artistic workshops, music, poetry, and Haitian history programming. The General Session continues in the evening at Gran Chimen Cultural Center with additional cultural activities, performances, and community reflection.
Date & Time: Friday, May 15, 2026. No RSVP required.
- Youth Session: 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Location: Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210 - General Session: 6:00 PM – evening
Location: Gran Chimen Cultural Center, 836 Rogers Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11226
Haitian Flag Day Celebration & Flag Raising
A formal ceremony marking the 223rd anniversary of the Haitian flag complete with a performance of the national anthem, speeches and traditional music with Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Councilmembers Rita Joseph, Nantasha Williams, Chi Osse, Farah Louis, Mercedes Narcisse and District Attorney, Eric Gonzalez.
- Date & Time: Thursday, May 16, 2026 |6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Address: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213
- No RSVP required
Haitian Flag Day Selebrasyon!
An annual Haitian Flag Day celebration presented by Haiti Cultural Exchange in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance, honoring the 223rd anniversary of the Haitian flag. The event brings together live Haitian music, dance performances, artisan vendors, food, and community programming in one of Brooklyn’s signature cultural gatherings. The celebration highlights Haitian artists and diaspora voices while centering cultural pride, memory, and community connection.
This year’s program includes live music by Mizik Ayiti with residents Mikaëlle Aimée, Okai Musik, Rasin Okan, and Bobby Raymond & Markus Schwartz, alongside special guests. The evening also features DJ sets by 2CENT, creating a continuous outdoor music experience. Attendees can also explore artist and lifestyle vendors including Bon Pâtés, Cantave de Saint Marc, Pikliz Please, Se Lakay and Watson Mere.
- Date & Time: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Address: Prospect Park Boathouse, 101 East Dr, Brooklyn, NY 11225
- RSVP here
Bazaar Kreyòl: Memorial Day Weekend Edition
A special Memorial Day weekend edition of Bazaar Kreyòl presented by Haiti Cultural Exchange, brings together Haitian vendors, food, music and community celebration in Brooklyn. The three-day marketplace features local Haitian artisans and small businesses alongside curated goods from the HCX Boutik, offering handmade crafts, cultural items and specialty products.
Visitors can enjoy seasonal food and drinks, outdoor community gathering, and afternoon DJ sets by Okai Musik, creating a relaxed start to the summer season on Lafayette Avenue. The event highlights Haitian entrepreneurship and cultural expression through commerce, music and shared public space.
- Date & Time: Saturday, May 23, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Sunday, May 24, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Monday, May 25, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Address: Haiti Cultural Exchange, 35 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217
- RSVP here
Revolutionary Echoes: A Panel on the Haitian Revolution and Modern Art
A public panel discussion hosted at King Manor Museum examining the Haitian Revolution and its lasting impact on politics, identity, and contemporary Haitian art. The program brings together historians, artists, and cultural thinkers to explore how the revolution reshaped global ideas of freedom and sovereignty, while also exposing contradictions in early American democracy around race and slavery.
The panel conversation will feature materials from the Daniel Simidor collection, curated by Rejin Leys and Obden Mondesir, alongside an associated exhibit on display at King Manor Museum.
- Date & Time: Friday, May 29, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
- Address: King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Avenue, Queens, NY 11432
- RSVP here
