A literary and arts club in Carrefour held the first Festi Gede on Sunday, November 1, at the Emmanuel Charlemagne municipal cultural center, to celebrate the Gede tradition and promote Haiti's intangible heritage, Vant Bèf Info reported.

Organized by the AKO-LIT club, coordinated by Leonardo Bélance, with the Loray Kale drum workshop and the Milly Art painting workshop, the program opened with an exhibition titled “Lento.” It featured tombs, Baron Samedi's crosses and images of Gran Brijit and Baron Samedi, along with a cemetery painting by Caleb Josil.

A symbolic tomb honored Charlemagne Péralte, the resistance leader against the U.S. occupation who was killed on November 1, 1919. Participants then discussed the bond between the living and the dead in Haitian tradition.

Performances included Vodou singer Manzè Ténaïz, the Loray Kale drummers, a staged reading of a text by Frankétienne by Virtha Djivenson, Bélance's piece “Klèmèzin,” dancers from the Francesca dance school and Vodou-inspired music by DJ Rock.

Turnout fell short of what organizers had hoped, the outlet said. Bélance said the club has no regular venue and no sponsors, so members often pay for activities themselves. AKO-LIT is now preparing the second edition of its year-end gala, “Kè Kontre.”