As part of this year’s Caribbean Week, the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) hosted its annual carnival on Saturday.

The carnival, entitled “Ethnic Exchange,” featured a day show that lasted from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a night show from 7:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.

The CSA, which has been on campus since 1977, has held Caribbean Week for the last 29 years to showcase various artistic performances. The group promotes a theme of “strength, unity and resistance.”

According to Latoya Jn. Baptiste, the multimedia administrator, and Brittany Powell, the educational coordinator of the group, the week culminated with the carnival, which attracted over 2,500 participants from different colleges and universities across the Northeast.

“This event combines many elements of Caribbean culture providing patrons with a full and unique cultural experience,” Baptiste and Powell said. “Music, food, dance, poetry and a variety of learning experiences come together to make Caribbean Week at Binghamton University a model program for cultural festivals across cultural and geographic boundaries.”

BU’s carnival is the largest student-run event of its kind in the state, they added.

In past years, carnivals have featured reggae artists like Richie Spice, Baby Cham, Elephant Man and Capleton. This year, Destra Garcia, Faye-Ann Lyons, Serani, Bunji Garlin and Assassin performed.

“Any profit generated from our event is funneled into our Maurice Bishop Scholarship Fund, offered to one student in the spring semester to assist with tuition costs,” they said.

Carnival 2008 Ethnic Exchange sold out, according to both organizers.

“CSA can’t wait to top this year’s carnival with next year’s celebration of 30 years of excellence,” they said.

Adam Amit, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, and economics, attended the event.

“Carnival was amazing,” he said. “I had a fantastic time immersing myself in Caribbean culture and meeting people from all over the the East Coast.”

Amit said he definitely planned to go again next year.