Ti Vilaj Kwéyòl 2026 will bring more than 90 entrepreneurs to Dominica’s Botanic Gardens from October 19 to 22 to showcase food, crafts and culture.
Dominica: Ti Vilaj Kwéyòl will be held at the Dominican Botanic Gardens from October 19 to 22. The event will recreate a Creole village atmosphere and celebrate Dominican cuisine, music, culture, crafts, and products.
The fifth edition of the festival is themed “Tout Biten Domnik” and will run from 12 noon to 8 pm each day. Over 90 entrepreneurs will participate in the four-day event that is part of Dominica’s 2026 Independence celebrations.
Visitors can sample traditional local cuisine and drinks, while browsing through stalls that sell various handicrafts, art pieces, plants, homemade items, and other Dominican products. The items included in the food menu are crab backs, callaloo, broth, smoked meats, green fig and saltfish, sweets, and beverages.
The festival will feature many events and activities throughout the four-day celebration. These include folk performances of Bouyon and Creole, cultural shows, and performances of schools and communities.
Organizers said that the festival will bring together the local community, artists, and small businesses, while allowing visitors a chance to experience Dominica’s culture.
The Minister of Labour, Public Service Reform, Social Partnership, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Daren Pinard, attended the festival’s launch ceremony on Wednesday. He said that the festival will provide an opportunity for children and young people to know Dominican culture better.
Ti Vilaj Kwéyòl was launched in October 2022 to replace the Creole in the Park (CITP) event which traditionally served as a lead-in to the World Creole Music Festival.
Permanent Secretary Gloria Joseph highlighted the importance of the festival in promoting its Creole culture both regionally and internationally. "It is a living, vivid expression of our Dominican identity ahead of the world-renowned World Creole Music Festival, designed to showcase the depth and diversity of our Creole heritage, our culture, to both locals and to the world,” she noted.
The 2026 version was officially released on October 1, with Permanent Secretary Gloria Joseph encouraging people to attend and be part of the celebrations.