Caribbean culture takes over Victoria’s Inner Harbour

Victoria’s Inner Harbour will come alive with the sights, sounds and flavours of the Caribbean later this month as i-Land Fest expands to a three-day celebration. The free festival, running Aug. 29-31 at Ship Point, will feature live music, dancing, food vendors, artisan markets and cultural exhibits. Organized by the Vancouver Island Caribbean Hub, the event is growing from previous years to offer more performances and activities. The festival opens Friday with a steel pan showcase featuring bands from Vancouver. Evening ticketed events include GLOW, a Caribbean dance party at Ambrosia Banquet Hall on Friday, and the Official After Party at Wicket Hall on Saturday. Saturday’s highlights include a carnival parade along Government Street, ending at Ship Point.  Throughout the weekend, visitors can enjoy a kids zone, traditional Caribbean board games, 35 artisan and community vendors, and a cultural exhibit on Caribbean history and heritage. Headliners include Toronto soca artist Jaxx and Barbados performer Hypasounds on Saturday night, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Benjai on Sunday night. For more information, visit vicaribbeanhub.com [http://vicaribbeanhub.com].