Haitian Compas Festival

Some of the biggest names in Haitian music — with the exception of the country’s president of course — will be in Miami this weekend for the 14th annual Haitian Compas Festival. The party takes off at 3 p.m. Saturday at Bayfront Park, 301 N. Biscayne Blvd., Miami.

The annual event is a celebration of Haitian heritage and compas or konpa. The infectious modern méringue serves as the national soundtrack, and the annual festival draws upwards of 30,000 fans annually.

Music fans also this year will celebrate the birth of one of Haiti’s legendary bands, Tropicana. The band, born in the city of Cap-Haitien, has helped define the big band sound in Haiti and, particularly, it’s second largest city. Fans will get a chance to hear the band before Saturday’s festival when it and Djakout #1 perform at a pre-festival party Friday at Revolution Live, 200 W. Broward Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale.

Another kickoff party takes place Friday at Club Space, 34 N.E. 11th St. An all black affair, it features Kreyol La, Harmonik, CaRiMi and Nu Look.

Haitian Compas Festival tickets are $35 in advance, said Rodney Noel of Noel and Cecibon Production, which stages the annual event. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ctstickets.com, www.sakapfet.com, or www.ticketmasters.com, or at various official ticket locations throughout Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

This year’s festival will feature: Harmonik, CaRiMi, Djakout, Kreyol La, NuLook, Gabel, JPerry, Karizma and DISIP. Solo acts include Robert Charlot, Cubano, Alan Cave, Tifane, Larose, MikaBen, TPO, Wanito, Richie and T-Micky. T-Micky is the son of Haitian President Michel Martelly, who in his former life as konpa musician ‘Sweet Micky’ was a fan favorite at the annual affair.

The show will be hosted by Haitian comedian Kako and 99 Jamz’s DJ Griot.

This story was originally published May 16, 2012 at 10:05 PM.