2009 NEW JERSEY CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL IN FRANKLIN TOWNSHP

The communities of Somerset and Middlesex counties will get a taste of Caribbean culture on June 27 when New Jersey Caribbean Festival 2009 will offer the spice-infused cuisine, diverse music rhythms and vibrant art of the islands, commonly called the West Indies.

Organized by the Jamaica Organization of New Jersey, the Somerset County Cultural Diversity Coalition and the Hamilton Street Business and Community Corporation, the street festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 720 Hamilton St., in the business district section of Franklin Township in Somerset County, N.J.

The Caribbean festival will be rich with familiar cultural expressions, such as foods embellished with curry and jerk seasonings, steel bands, cultural dances and performances by Caribbean artists. The event will also include vendors of all cultures, illustrating the multicultural tapestry of the United States, organizers said.