SPRINGFIELD — A big party was held in Springfield Thursday for Haitian Flag Day.
Thousands of Haitian immigrants have moved into Clark County in the last few months. News Center 7 spoke with organizers about the significance of having events honoring Haitian heritage.
May 18th is Flag Day in Haiti. One of the organizers of the festival at the Veterans Park Amphitheater is Haitian and said it’s a major holiday in Haiti. They wanted to bring the party to Springfield because so many Haitian immigrants now call this part of the Miami Valley home.
The festival had live music, crafts, and Haitian fare.
>> Busy Springfield intersection to be closed Friday afternoon through Saturday night
The Flag Day festivities started Thursday morning at city hall with a proclamation from the city, raising the Haitian flag, and playing the Haitian national anthem.
The Clark County combined health district says the Haitian population is one of the fastest growing, but still underserved, minority populations in the area and that a growing number of their clients are of Haitian descent.
One of the festival organizers is part of a large group of Haitian immigrants that have settled in Clark County.
“We choose Springfield most likely because the host, because the environment, and because how we fill our life in here living with our family, raising children, I work too,” said Claude Coq. “And opportunity— especially in Springfield, for us it’s a lot of opportunity.”
The Haitian Flag Day festival runs until 9 p.m. Thursday night.
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