‘A way for us to come together.’ What soup and a soiree mean for Haiti’s holiday

Jones Pierre had typically celebrated Haitian Independence Day with his wife at their home eating soup joumou, a meal enslaved Africans in Haiti were forbidden from eating, to honor the day Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti’s independence.

But on Jan. 1, 2018, Pierre and his wife went to the beach, invited a few friends and ate their soup by the shore, cleaning themselves in the ocean.

“We invited some friends, and we popped some bottles of champagne, and we started having our soup ... on the beach,” Jones said. “Some of our people believe that taking a bath to start the new year off cleanses the body. So we jumped in the ocean, we took pictures, and when we posted it on social media, we got a big reaction. It was one of those things that just was like, ‘oh, snap, maybe this is a good thing.’”

After that, Pierre, called his partner, Morhanges “Haitian Poohbear” Elizee, and decided to create Soup and Champagne All-White Affair, an annual festivity for Haitian Americans to celebrate Haiti’s independence as the first Black republic, and strengthen community. The early beginnings of the event began at a nightclub in Wynwood with Jamie Foxx as a headliner before shifting to outdoor spaces amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now in its seventh year, this year’s event will be held on Thursday, Jan. 1, at NoMi Village in North Miami, home to more than 18,000 Haitian Americans. The event will include singer-songwriter Rutshelle Guillaume; Alan Cava, Haitian-American lead singer of the konpa group Zin; and up-and-coming Haitian artist and producer Andy Beatz, who has building a fan base with his blend of konpa, rabòday and other Haitian musical styles. There will also be a live band, DJ sets from Whiskey Chic and Teddy Mix with celebrity hosts Tico Armand and Mecca a.k.a Grimo.

Haiti’s independence was declared on Jan. 1, 1804 by Dessalines after leading a successful slave revolt in what was then France’s richest colony, Saint-Domingue. To celebrate their new freedom, the former enslaved people ate soup joumou, a Haitian pumpkin dish made with beef, spices and vegetables that was solely reserved for white slave masters. Both the ‘freedom’ soup and konpa have been recognized as Haitian contributions to humanity by the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, which has included both to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.

This year, the Soup and Champagne soirée has partnered with the city of North Miami, and will showcase three restaurants in the city: Macillon Grio Fish & Chicken, Katz Restaurant and Lounge and Chef Creole. Each will put their own spin on the classic Haitian dish.

Pierre said this year’s event is particularly important amid the ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in immigrant communities across the United States, and the ongoing turmoil in Haiti, where powerful criminal gangs have forced more than 1.4 million Haitians from their homes.

“It’s a reminder that it’s a fight that we need to keep fighting. Every year there are a lot of ups and downs with Haiti,” he said, noting the ongoing ban preventing U.S. commercial flights from flying into Port-au-Prince’s international airport, and the deluge of gang violence. “Haitian independence landing on Jan. 1 reminds us that we are independent, and it’s one of those things that we just have to keep fighting for, because it was a blueprint that was laid down, but we never got a chance to really accomplish what these guys fought for.”

Pierre said it’s still a celebration for Haitian communities and a way for them and other communities from other countries to come together for fellowship and to understand Haitian culture.

“It’s a big symbol that other countries and ourselves that we need to really take advantage of, especially in a time that we’re living in right now where different cultures are being deported,” Pierre said. “Everybody’s going through turmoil in their countries, and I definitely think it’s a way for us to come together and to celebrate freedom and also appreciate each other’s culture.”

If you go

What: Soup and Champagne All-White Affair

When: Thursday, Jan. 1, 6 to 9 p.m.

Where: NoMi Village, 12351 NW Seventh Ave, North Miami

Cost: $100 general admission, $125 VIP

INFO: http://www.soupandchampagne.com/

This story was originally published December 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM.