Second annual Caribbean Sports Day

The Caribbean community of Queens is going back to their roots at the second annual Western Union Payomatic Caribbean Sports Day next month.
The August 12 event on 149th Avenue between 230th Place and 230th Street at Idlewild Park in Rosedale will feature activities that remind Caribbean nationals of their native land such as “Egg and Spoon,” “Crocus Ba” and net ball. There will be Caribbean food and music to set the mood of the event.
Also, teams can partake in sporting competitions. To enter, there is a fee of $250 for each six-side soccer team and $100 for each net ball team. They will compete for a $1,000 prize. Those interested can call MM Entertainment Productions at 516-860-7542.
“My inspiration for putting on an event of this nature is seeing us as a Caribbean people within the United States fall short of passing on parts of our culture that helps define us to our children and sharing it with others,” said event coordinator Mike Mullings, of MM Entertainment Production. “It’s about reconnecting and bringing back that traditional feeling.” Last year, the event brought out somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 people. According to the event’s spokesperson, Felicia Persuad, the organizers are looking to double the number.
Western Union representative, Garfield Comrie, said that his company is sponsoring the event for the second year to give back to the community. Western Union sends over $5 billion dollars to the region annually.
In New York City, Caribbean nationals make up a large percentage of the foreign born population. According to the US Census recent American Community Survey Report, in one region of Queens alone, the Caribbean community’s annual earnings are more than both native born white and black Americans.