The Tamarind Festival Story
Tamarind Festival celebrates the rich tradition of Caribbean and Diaspora storytelling. First launched in 2009, this gathering honors community, culture, and the voices that connect us across generations.
Our Roots: Tamarind Festival of Caribbean Literature in Washington, D.C.
The Tamarind Festival was born in 2009, co-sponsored by the Institute of Caribbean Studies, in celebration of Caribbean American Heritage Month. It marked the first five-day festival of its kind in the nation’s capital — a bold celebration of Caribbean literature, music, and Diaspora voices. We set out to ‘circle the Caribbean,’ spotlight Caribbean American authors, and host events at iconic landmarks across Washington, D.C.
Dr. Merle Collins, a distinguished writer and professor at the University of Maryland, served as the festival’s Honorary Chair. The opening event was held at the National Museum of Women in the Arts on June 14, 2009. As my colleagues from BET captured the moment, I watched with awe as a packed audience engaged with literary rock stars — including Lorna Goodison, whose poetry I had once studied as a student.
To honor these influential voices, we established three awards:
-
The Claude McKay Caribbean Writer Award, presented to Lorna Goodison.
-
The Paule Marshall Caribbean Writer Award, presented to Merle Collins.
-
The Lorna Goodison Caribbean Award for Transformative Literature, awarded to author Andrene Bonner.
The festival continued throughout the week, with events hosted at the Inter-American Development Bank, the Embassy of Barbados, the Organization of American States, and a favorite spoken word venue on New York Avenue. The DMV was treated to a literary feast, featuring Lisa Allen-Agostini, Rachel Manley, Andrene Bonner, Dr. Ian Smart, and sportsman-motivator Devon Harris. The week culminated with a powerful performance by Mutabaruka, backed by the Rising Sun Reggae Band.
Featured Works from Our Inaugural Tamarind Festival
Book cover of Slipstream: A Daughter Remembers by Rachel Manley.
Original Tamarind Festival of Caribbean Literature logo from 2009.
Event poster for Mutabaruka's performance at Tamarind Festival 2009
Book cover of Slipstream: A Daughter Remembers by Rachel Manley.
Reimagining Tamarind Festival in 2025
In 2025, Tamarind Festival returns—smaller in scale but no less ambitious in spirit. Reimagined as a one-day event, this relaunch continues our commitment to Caribbean and Diaspora storytelling, creating space for community, conversation, and cultural connection.
With a focus on intimate author readings and shared reflections, we honor the legacy of the festival while embracing new ways of gathering in a changing world. We invite you to be part of this next chapter in the Tamarind Festival story.
While Tamarind Festival remains rooted in the Washington, D.C. community, its reach has always been global — connecting Caribbean and Diaspora voices across generations and geographies.
As we rebuild, we honor local libraries, readers, and community spaces as vital partners in sustaining this work. At the same time, we embrace the opportunity to expand digitally, bringing our stories to new audiences while keeping the festival’s intimate, community-centered spirit alive.
As we grow, we envision restoring the festival’s signature awards, including the Lorna Goodison Caribbean Award for Transformative Literature, to continue honoring the voices shaping our narratives.
We invite you to be part of this next chapter in the Tamarind Festival story.