Port-au-Prince residents refuse to break tradition, celebrating the 222nd anniversary of Haiti Flag Day

PORT-AU-PRINCE —Under a white canopy at Petite Place Cazeau, artisan Fanfan Jean-Louis carefully arranged hand-painted carvings and flags as konpa music played and the smell of fried food lingered. He and dozens of other vendors gathered for a three-day celebration of the Haitian flag’s 222nd anniversary—honoring tradition in a city gripped by fear and unrest.

“Just as our ancestors fought for this extraordinary day, we are obliged to celebrate it, but with sadness, because the leaders do nothing to improve the country,” Fanfan Jean-Louis said. 

On May 18, residents from various neighborhoods took it upon themselves to commemorate the flag, as the government did not organize an official festivity in the capital. Agro-artisanal fairs, student local parades, and musical performances sprang up across the capital, organized by community members in the absence of state-led events.

This year marked the second consecutive time that the government moved the official Haitian Flag Day ceremony to Cap-Haïtien, bypassing Port-au-Prince and Arcahaie—the birthplace of the flag—due to persistent gang violence. Authorities disbursed more than 300 million gourdes or USD 2.27 million for the celebrations in Cap-Haïtien, according to media reports, prompting criticism from local residents in the country’s other regions who say their communities were sidelined.

At Petite Place Cazeau, north of Port-au-Prince, the fair was organized with the support of former residents now living abroad. Despite steady rainfall, dozens of vendors and artists gathered over three days to sell handmade goods, t-shirts, scarves to honor the bicolor—an enduring symbol of national pride amid insecurity and continuous instability.

“We celebrate our flag despite the country’s crisis, and we are proud of it and of being Haitian,” said Lucseac Charlotin, a merchant participating in the fair. “It’s true that Flag Day used to be more grandiose, but as you know, people now live in fear and sadness.”

In the Delmas 33 neighborhood, students from local schools paraded through the streets and performed choreographed dances, saluting the flag as trumpeters played nearby—bringing energy and pride to the community-led commemoration.

“We can no longer live with this insecurity,” Jean-Louis said as he expressed nostalgia over bigger events during flag day celebrations.

Here’s a look at how Haitian Flag Day was commemorated in several neighborhoods across Port-au-Prince.

All photos were taken by Dieugo Andre for The Haitian Times:

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