Sean Rowburrey, a third-year history and political science combined major, plays the drums on stage. The cabaret was followed by an open mic session in which anyone could perform.

Boston celebrated its 50th annual Caribbean Festival Aug. 26 with vendors from Massachusetts and beyond, live music and all the flavor of the Caribbean.  That morning, an unrelated shooting nearby...

Pauline Barnes, a performer from Mattapan, wears her handmade Carnival wings proudly after a day of dancing and music. Older practitioners of Carnival worked to pass on the festival’s important history...

A Carnival performer parades a massive pink float behind her. Various fabrics, plastic beads, feathers, sequins, colorful ribbons, glass mirrors, horns and shells were used to make the costumes elaborate...

Dee Green, a vendor at the Carnival, poses for a portrait. She and her family traveled from New York and sold jewelry, flags and other accessories as she celebrated her home country of Jamaica at Carnival....

A tightly-packed procession of dancers crowds the street and follows the music. All afternoon, the neighborhood buzzed from the sound of speakers, while neighbors watched from windows and porches.

A rapper rides the top of a truck fitted with speakers, engaging the crowd with a roll call of Caribbean countries. The Carnival performers bumped soca beats and led a dense procession of dancers and supporters.

Spectators on Blue Hill Avenue watch performers in soca, calypso, steelbands and more as the festival pushes on. Organizers estimated that the Carnival typically gathers a crowd of about 800,000 people...

Clusters of speakers and various food vendors scatter the Franklin Park area. Alluring smells of grilled and fried food beckoned visitors, including Caribbean favorites from local restaurants such as oxtail,...

Skippy White made a showman’s entrance in an aptly white tuxedo when he arrived at the historic Florian Hall Aug. 5. Fellow living legends and hundreds of fans awaited the former WILD DJ at his elegantly...

Attendees arrive in colorful gowns and suits to Florian Hall. The historic venue was opened in 1965, hosting icons and countless gatherings since.

White poses with Hot Butta Soul after their routine. The DJ unflinchingly continues his mission of spreading his favorite music on his radio shows, “The Time Tunnel” on Saturday mornings from 8 a.m....

Local performer Toussaint the Liberator sings songs by Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. “Those are the singers I wanted to sound like growing up,” Toussaint said. “The music is medicine — the one...

Byrain Winbush, a gospel singer, dedicates his performance to White and makes a heartfelt prayer as he begins his setlist. Several artists performed music from the early days of White’s career and songs...

Chinatown erupted in a cloud of smoke and confetti Jan. 29, as thousands packed the streets to celebrate the 2023 Lunar New Year, which began on Jan. 22.  The sound of drums, gongs and cymbals followed...