LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — The heart of Lexington Park came alive with sights, sounds and flavors from around the world on Saturday as the Community, Culture & Cuisine event returned to celebrate the town’s rich diversity.
Hosted at Lexington Manor Passive Park on June 28, the free festival offered a vibrant journey through global cultures, highlighting the unique tapestry of traditions, music and cuisines found in St. Mary’s County. Organized by the Lexington Park Business Association (LexBA) and supported by the St. Mary’s County Arts Council, the event brought together families, neighbors and visitors for a day designed for unity and appreciation of the area’s multicultural heritage.
Event organizers curated a packed schedule of performances on the Candy Cummings Stage, featuring everything from Hungarian dances and Bollywood routines to local singers representing the Piscataway Nation. Meanwhile, The Meadow staged area hosted workshops ranging from stage combat exhibitions to interactive drumming circles, providing hands-on opportunities for children and adults alike to engage with different cultural expressions.
Wynne Briscoe, president of the Lexington Park Business Association, highlighted how the festival was designed to give attendees a true “around the world” experience by representing cultures from all seven continents, including unique touches like Civil Air Patrol passport stamps and immersive activities for children. Briscoe explained that the event aimed to reflect Lexington Park’s status as the most diverse ZIP code in St. Mary’s County, bringing together residents to celebrate the area’s rich culture.
“The reason why this event is important is because it is showing representation for what is here within St. Mary’s County [and for] actual members and residents of the community, to see representation and to celebrate their culture,” Briscoe said. “This is the first of its kind, multiple cultures represented in one festival just here collaborating together — it’s really reflective of our community.”
Attendees also enjoyed a culinary tour featuring flavors from the Caribbean, the Philippines and classic fair favorites like funnel cakes, fresh lemonade and Kona Ice. All-day activities included face painting, shops, sidewalk chalk art and live cultural demonstrations, each inviting community members to learn about traditions from around the world.
Shanaya Williams, a 22-year-old entrepreneur who recently moved to Lexington Park from Barbados, showcased her passion for sharing Caribbean flavors through her business, Sweet Caribbean Bakery in Great Mills, Md. She explained how she poured days of effort into preparing for the festival, starting Thursday by making doughs, fillings and toppings from scratch before baking all day Friday and packaging everything herself. Williams said bringing her culture to the event was about giving people a taste of her island home and an experience they might not otherwise have.
“It means giving people another opportunity to see the things that I love and bring it to them,” Williams said. “It’s so expensive to go to where I grew up, in Barbados — bringing just a little piece of my island to the community.”
Williams also opened up about the challenge of managing two businesses at just 22 years old, balancing Sweet Caribbean Bakery with a second business called A Faith Full Seed, her natural hair care company, launched earlier this year. She described the stress of running both ventures while previously juggling a part-time job, which she quit to dedicate herself fully to her businesses. Despite the demands, she said the effort was worthwhile because it allowed her to pursue her passions and offer unique products that celebrate her heritage.
“It’s very difficult because I haven’t found my footing yet,” Williams said. “So, I quit my part-time job, and right now I’m going to focus steadily on the two of them [Sweet Caribbean Bakery and A Faith Full Seed] so I can make them the best that I can make them.”
The Lexington Park Business Association emphasized in event materials that the festival is more than just a celebration of food and performance — it’s about building bridges between St. Mary’s County’s diverse communities. The association called on residents to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder as we elevate Lexington Park to even greater heights,” highlighting that shared experiences like this are essential to cultivating mutual respect, economic growth and a sense of belonging.
This year’s move to the expansive Lexington Manor Passive Park underscores the festival’s increasing popularity, after last year’s attendance surpassed 1,000 people. The larger venue offered space for additional vendors and cultural showcases, ensuring visitors could comfortably explore everything the event had to offer.
Leonardtown High School’s Chinese Club, dedicated to immersing students in Chinese culture and language, brought their vibrant Dragon Pearl performance to the event, captivating attendees with a traditional art form rarely seen locally. Their performance provided an engaging and authentic window into Chinese heritage, enriching the cultural exposure of the festival and celebrating the diversity within the Lexington Park community.
St. Mary’s County Commissioner Scott Ostrow reflected on the importance of revitalizing Lexington Park through celebrations that highlight the community’s diversity and vibrancy. He described the event as a long-held goal, inspired by his time campaigning and informed by conversations with the Lexington Park Business Association.
Ostrow emphasized that Lexington Park was once a bustling center for shopping and dining, but economic shifts and perceptions about safety had drawn people away. By hosting inclusive events like this one, he aimed to bring residents and visitors back to discover the area’s businesses, parks and cultural richness, while building a sense of community pride.
“I want to see it revitalized. I want to see people wanting to come back into Lexington Park,” Ostrow said. “By having events like this, it shows people, you know what — come on into Lexington Park. We have great businesses, we have beautiful parks, we have great restaurants. This is going to be an annual event every year to celebrate the diverse cultures we have. People want to come and want to exchange stories and learn about other cultures and how we can live together and grow together and be that strong community.”
Attending the event with her family, Charlene Shorter said she came to get her kids out of the house and give them a chance to meet new people in the community. She noted that events like this provided much-needed positive activities for children in the area and opportunities for families to learn about other cultures. Shorter emphasized that the diversity of Lexington Park, with its mix of cultures and military families, made it especially important to hold celebrations that bring people together.
“Lexington Park has a lot of different cultures down here — there’s a lot of Spanish, you got African Americans, you got Caucasians,” Shorter said. “And by being a military area, it’s very important for everyone to get out and learn [firsthand] about different cultures.”
Community Advocacy and Health
Ashley Walters, community health manager with MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, highlighted the importance of bringing their medical mobile unit to underserved areas like Lexington Park. The unit provided body composition screenings and shared community health resources with attendees, while also showcasing the services typically offered to women who face barriers accessing care, such as Pap smears and breast exams. Walters noted that exposing the community to different cultures through events like this was just as vital as providing health services.
“I think that [the Community, Culture & Cuisine event] is important because it’s bringing different cultures and different community events to the people,” Walters said. “Giving them the chance to come out and experience different cultures and ethnicities.”
Tracy Brooks, the community health transporter responsible for driving the MedStar medical mobile unit, described how the unit’s mobility allowed it to attend community events and support outreach efforts across the area. Brooks shared that she enjoyed setting up the unit and giving residents a glimpse inside the mobile health center, helping make healthcare feel more accessible and engaging for the community. He emphasized the value of connecting with people in person at events like this.
“It’s fun. It’s definitely fun, setting it up for the community, and letting them see what it’s like,” Brooks said. “It’s nice to do this for the community.”
Organizers hope attendees left inspired to continue supporting cultural initiatives, connect with new neighbors and appreciate the richness of Lexington Park’s diverse population — making the Community, Culture & Cuisine event not just a day of entertainment, but a meaningful step toward a stronger, more unified community.
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