Celebrate Haitian Flag Day with free food, music and activities 

INDIANAPOLIS (MIRROR INDY) — As the Haitian immigrant population in Indianapolis grows, Haitian Flag Day is an opportunity for people to learn more about the community. 

The nonprofit Haitian Association of Indiana will host a celebration from 4-9 p.m. May 18 at Lawrence Community Park, 5301 N. Franklin Road. 

“We just want people to come and enjoy our culture,” said Dominique Dumornay, case manager for the Haitian Association of Indiana. “We want everybody to come so that they can get what I would call a flavor or a taste of Haiti. You know with the food, but also just to learn a little bit about Haiti.”

The event is free and will include family activities, music and food. Dumornay said the celebration is like an extended barbecue. 

“That’s how we share our culture, it’s definitely through food,” she said. 

The holiday celebrates the creation of the flag of Haiti during the Haitian revolution. It is celebrated each year on May 18, the anniversary of the flag’s adoption in 1803. 

The Haitian population in Indianapolis is rapidly growing. Before the pandemic, the Haitian Association of Indiana says only a few thousand Haitian immigrants lived in Indianapolis. Because of the city’s low cost of living and employment opportunities, the association estimates the Haitian community has likely grown closer to 20,000 people. 

“We’ve had some tribulations, but this is an opportunity for us to celebrate just us as a country, and our culture, and just being proud to be who we are,” Dumornay said.

Mirror Indy reporter Darian Benson covers east Indianapolis. Contact her at 317-397-7262 or darian.benson@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X @HelloImDarian.