Vertières Legacy presents its first signature event: an elegant night of Haitian heritage, music and community featuring ZAFÈM, Riva Nyri Précil and DJ Colmix at Melrose Ballroom.
After making its first public cultural sponsorship on Eastern Parkway, Vertières Legacy is preparing to take the next major step in its journey: producing its first signature event.
On Saturday, November 14, 2026, Bal de l’Héritage: New York will take over Melrose Ballroom in Long Island City for an evening created around Haitian heritage, music, elegance and community.
The event begins at 10:00 PM and continues through 4:00 AM on Sunday, November 15. Melrose Ballroom has also listed Bal de l’Héritage on its official event calendar, identifying Vertières Legacy as presenter and confirming ZAFÈM, Riva Nyri Précil and DJ Colmix in the entertainment program. Melrose Ballroom
But Bal de l’Héritage is designed to be more than another night out.
It is the first full expression of the Vertières Legacy concept.
A Ball Rooted in Heritage
The name itself establishes the intention.
Bal de l’Héritage—the Ball of Heritage—places history and cultural continuity at the center of the experience.
Vertières Legacy was created around the belief that Haitian heritage should not exist only in books, commemorations or memories. It should also be experienced socially, artistically and across generations.
The evening therefore brings together several elements that are often separated: history, elegance, live Haitian music, visual culture, social connection and celebration.
It is a space to remember where Haiti comes from while also celebrating what Haitian culture continues to become.
ZAFÈM Live in New York
At the center of the musical program is ZAFÈM, featuring Dener Céide and Réginald Cangé.
Their live performance will serve as the featured musical experience of the evening, bringing one of contemporary Haitian music’s distinctive sounds into the setting of Bal de l’Héritage.
Rather than treating live entertainment as something separate from the cultural concept, Vertières Legacy places the music inside the larger experience: Haitian artists performing for a Haitian and multicultural audience in an environment intentionally built around heritage and excellence.
The evening will also feature music by DJ Colmix, extending the celebration beyond the live concert experience and onto the dance floor.
A Special Performance by Riva Nyri Précil
Before ZAFÈM’s featured performance, Riva Nyri Précil will appear as Special Guest.
Her participation adds another dimension to an event built around the diversity of Haitian artistic expression. Her performance will introduce guests to the live program before the evening transitions into ZAFÈM.
Together, the artists create a program that moves from cultural expression into a full live-band experience and continues through a night of dancing and celebration.
Elegant — Dress to Impress
Bal de l’Héritage is a ball, but Vertières Legacy has intentionally avoided defining it as a mandatory black-tie gala.
The dress code is:
Elegant — Dress to Impress.
Guests are encouraged to arrive in stylish evening attire reflecting the significance and sophistication of the occasion.
Black tie is welcome, but not required.
The goal is elegance without imposing a single rigid interpretation of formalwear—allowing guests to bring personality, style and cultural confidence into the room.
General Admission and Curated VIP Experiences
General Admission is available at $75, while guests looking for an elevated experience can choose from a collection of VIP packages.
Even the naming structure carries the heritage concept forward.
The packages honor men and women whose names remain connected to Haiti’s history:
Marie-Claire Heureuse, Catherine Flon, Sanite Belair, Grann Tòya, Cécile Fatiman, Henri Christophe, François Capois—Capois-la-Mort—and Jean-Jacques Dessalines.
The use of these names is not simply decorative branding. It places historical memory within the architecture of the event itself, creating opportunities for guests to encounter names from Haiti’s national story while participating in a modern cultural celebration.
An Experience for a New Generation
Bal de l’Héritage also reflects the broader philosophy behind Vertières Legacy.
The organization’s mission extends beyond producing individual parties or concerts. Its goal is to develop experiences that can connect generations, elevate Haitian culture, strengthen community and create opportunities around that cultural ecosystem.
That is why the brand’s message—United by History. Driven by Purpose. Investing in Our Youth.—sits alongside its entertainment programming.
The past provides the foundation.
The experience happens in the present.
The investment is in what comes next.
A New Chapter Begins at Melrose Ballroom
The Eastern Parkway sponsorship introduced Vertières Legacy publicly.
Bal de l’Héritage now establishes what the organization intends to create for itself.
From the opening moments of the evening through Riva Nyri Précil’s special performance, ZAFÈM live, DJ Colmix, dancing, VIP experiences and the final hours of celebration, the goal is to create a night in which Haitian identity feels both historic and contemporary.
A night where remembrance does not feel distant.
Where elegance does not require abandoning culture.
Where music becomes part of storytelling.
Where community becomes part of legacy.
And where Haitian heritage is not simply discussed—it is experienced.
Bal de l’Héritage: New York
Saturday, November 14, 2026
10:00 PM – 4:00 AM
Melrose Ballroom
36-08 33rd Street, Long Island City, NY 11106
Featuring ZAFÈM — Dener Céide & Réginald Cangé
Special Guest: Riva Nyri Précil
Music by DJ Colmix
Dress Code: Elegant — Dress to Impress
