New York Plans Thanksgiving Service and Gala for Antigua and Barbuda’s 45th Independence Anniversary
Celebrations will include a Harlem church service, a Manhattan flag-raising ceremony and a “Road to Golden” gala featuring Session Starters DJs.
Antiguans and Barbudans in New York will mark the nation’s 45th anniversary of Independence with a series of events beginning with a thanksgiving service on Sunday, October 25.
Organised by the Antigua and Barbuda Consulate General in New York, the service will begin at 4 p.m. at Salem United Methodist Church, located at 2190 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, at West 129th Street in Harlem.
Rev. Dr. Ava Jolley of the First Baptist Church of Crown Heights will officiate, while Rev. F. Craig Henry of the Little Rock Baptist Church and Shiloh Baptist Church will deliver the sermon.
Other participating clergy will include Rev. Dr. Gordon Edwards, Rev. Dr. Cheryl White Lewis, Rev. Dr. David K. Allen, Rev. Elouise Hill Challenger, Evangelist Patricia Ralph and Bishop Kevin Griffin. They will lead prayers for Antigua and Barbuda as the country celebrates 45 years of political independence.
The Antigua and Barbuda International Chorale, led by Dean Belgrave Pelle, and the City South Steel Orchestra will provide musical accompaniment. Kyann and The Chosen Generation will lead praise and worship.
The service will also be streamed through Salem United Methodist Church’s website, Facebook page and YouTube channel.
An official flag-raising ceremony will follow on Monday, October 26, at Bowling Green Park in Manhattan, beginning at 2 p.m.
Celebrations will culminate with the annual Independence Gala at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle on Saturday, November 21, at 8 p.m.
Under the theme “Road to Golden,” the gala will look ahead to Antigua and Barbuda’s 50th anniversary of Independence.
This year’s entertainment will feature Session Starters DJs, marking a change from the gala’s longstanding association with Burning Flames. DJ Mo Betta and DJ 62, known for their appearances at Antiguan and Barbudan events across the United States, will present music spanning several decades.
Early-bird tickets are available for US$200 until November 5. After that date, tickets will cost US$225 and remain on sale until the day before the gala.
For ticket reservations, tables and sponsorship information, contact 646-215-6013 or 646-215-6047.
This story was first published by Antigua News on : antigua.news/2026/10/21/new-york-plans-thanksgiving-service-and-gala-for-antigua-and-barbuda-s-45th-independence-anniversary. © 2026 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.
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Comments (1)
Informed Citizen October 21, 2026, 4:15 PM
I like that the celebrations starting with a thanksgiving service. Before the music and the partying, it good to give thanks for the journey and pray for the future of our nation. One people, one nation.
Reply