By Kevin Jackson—-
ORGANIZERS of the annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival promise more entertainment and a wider variety of jerk dishes.
According to Eddy Edwards of Jamaican Jerk Festival USA, Inc, promoters of the event, his team is pulling out all the stops for this year’s staging.
“We are going all out to ensure that no matter who you are and where you’re from, you’ll get a good taste of fun at the largest Caribbean food festival in the USA,” he told the Sunday Observer.
The event’s 14th staging will take place on Sunday, November 8, at Markham Park, Sunrise in Florida.
“This year, we will have a lot more professional chefs participating in the cook-offs. We are looking at having a very exciting Hot Zone/Party Pavilion and more cultural performances. The food vendors will be offering a wide selection of food for patrons to enjoy,” said Edwards.
Among the dishes that will be incorporated this year are jerk shrimp, jerk ackee and salt fish, jerk corn, jerk conch, and jerk crab.
For entertainment, patrons can get their fill of live music and performances on the main stage from veteran reggae artists Third World and Barrington Levy, Christopher Martin, comedian Christopher ‘Johnny’ Daley, and Florida-based ska/reggae band Spred The Dub.
A new-and-improved VIP Vibe will feature the culinary creations of Chef Patrick Adams, executive chef to Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
The popular Publix Jerk Cook-Off & demonstrations, cultural presentations on the Western Union Cultural Stage, contemporary entertainment on the Fuzion Soundstage and the ever-lively Party Pavilion for young partygoers are just some of the many offerings.
Last year’s event was affected by heavy rainfall however, this year Edwards has a contingency plan.
“We have identified alternative parking areas just in case it rains and there is flooding. We are looking to get back the over 15,000 patrons that we have each year and we will have a wonderful day,” he said.
The 14th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival is presented by Jamaican Jerk Festival USA, Inc, in association with Partners for Youth. Sponsors are Grace Foods, Publix Supermarkets, Western Union, 1-800-411-PAIN, Jamaica Tourist Board, Red Stripe, The Housing Foundation, Caribbean Airlines, Vitamalt, National Weekly, Jamaicans.com, and SunnyBiz Transport.
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