Colour and music at Wrexham's first African Caribbean festival

• Ian Lang went along to find out more about Wrexham's first African Caribbean Festival.

It was Wrexham's first African Caribbean Festival, but it certainly won't be the last according to organisers.

The event celebrated and showcased the vibrant cultures and traditions of the growing African and Caribbean communities in North East Wales.

A mix of music and food brought people together in Wrexham's leafy Bellevue Park. A bandstand, a temporary home for the DJ's.

Omo Idegun founder of Wrexham Africa Community said after opening the city's first Africa shop, the festival was the next obvious step.

"People have been very excited about it because this has not happened in Wrexham before. It is bringing the community spirit back.

"And is not just Africans and the Caribbeans, it is people from other ethnic communities who have come to celebrate with us, which is a very good thing.

"With the incidents that have happened a few weeks ago people were scared but what is happening now is that people are sitting and chatting with their neighbours. I think it is giving Africans hope that Wales and Wrexham is for them. It's opening doors."

Lisinayte Lopes from Wrexham's Palops United CIC, said the event would bring people together.

She explained that Palops United CIC was created to support people from African Communities where Portuguese is the first language.

"It is important that we share our culture with the mainstream community."

She said people felt safe to come out because the environment was friendly and welcoming.

"We are brothers and sisters and is is so important for us to come together," she said.

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