CLACC-C Youth Pan Fest set for Aug. 29

The Brooklyn-based Carlos Lezama Archives & Caribbean Cultural Center (CLACC-C) says its 14th Annual Children’s Festival & Youth Pan Fest takes place this Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, 12–8 p.m., on St. John’s Place, between Brooklyn and Kingston Avenues in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

CLACC-C said on Monday, Aug. 24, that what began 14 years ago, with three junior steel bands, has grown into “a movement this year.”

It said 12 junior steel bands, roughly 250 young musicians, ages 4 and up, will fill the block, competing in performances judged on rhythm, the foundation of pan and song, “where students connect through modern and popular music.

“The festival’s soloist competition has grown so large that a preliminary round is required,” CLACC-C said.

It said 30 young soloists, ages 6 to 21, competed on Aug. 14 at Metro Pan Yard for a place on the festival stage.

CLACC-C said every child who participated received a monetary award in recognition of their artistry.

It said this year’s festival also marks a historic homecoming.

CLACC-C said the festival unfolds outside 1028 St. John’s Place — the landmark home where Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm ran her presidential campaign, purchased in 1973 by Carlos Lezama, the founding force behind New York’s West Indian American Day Carnival.

On the morning of the festival, CLACC-C said it will open its new gallery and center for learning in the building at an invitation-only reception, alongside the relaunch of the Carlos Lezama biography and archive collection.

Confirmed guests include the interim consul general of Trinidad & Tobago and representatives of Medgar Evers College, CLACC-C’s cultural and educational partner.

Seven-year-old steel pan phenomenon Sir Halo, whose Times Square performances have captivated audiences worldwide, will open the private reception with the national anthem, CLACC-C said.

“It’s such a joy to see the children carry the steel pan culture forward,” said CLACC-C President Yolanda Lezama-Clark, the daughter of the late Carlos Lezama. “The legacy of pan and how we celebrate Caribbean culture in Brooklyn can all be seen at the Carlos Lezama Archive Center.”

Leah Clark-Brisard, Lezama-Clark’s daughter, CLACC-C member and festival organizer, said: “The festival has grown so much over the years. When you see one of our youngest performers, Sir Halo, you see how steel pan culture is shaping their future. And we get to be a part of it.”

CLACC-C said the Children’s Festival & Youth Pan Fest is made possible with support from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), with corporate sponsorship from EmblemHealth, Spectrum, Cypress Hills Cemetery, and Boatswain CPA, LLC.