SUNRISE – South Florida will sizzle again this November as the 9th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival, the largest Caribbean food festival in the United States, gets underway at Markham Park in Sunrise on Sunday, November 14, 2010.
The event, which has grown in size and popularity, now boasts over 18,000 patrons from various cultures and age groups. Each year throngs of families and friends flock to the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival for the delectable jerk foods and the explosion of Caribbean culture, which have become the hallmark of this award-winning event.
“We take pride in producing a festival of this caliber and continue to work diligently to improve the event. Our goal is to produce an event of the highest quality, delivering satisfaction to both patrons and sponsors,” said Eddy Edwards, Chairman of Jamaican Jerk Festival USA Inc. (JJFUSA).
Title sponsor, Grace Foods, the leading Caribbean food manufacturer and distributor, will add spice more spice to the event with its culinary delights. Step into Grace Kitchen with Chef Mazie Millier whose cooking demonstrations will wow patrons, as she displays some of the tastiest Caribbean food products by Grace.
View a sample of the Grace Kitchen with Chef Mazie Millier show:
http://www.sflcn.com/multimedia.php?id=zgJdF1OfOo0
According to Joy Thomas, Grace Foods’ Market Manager, “Grace Foods is always looking for opportunities to serve its loyal customers and allow connoisseurs to experience the quality and multi-ehtnic flavors of Grace products. Jamaican Jerk Festival USA has created a quality event that provides quality products to the palette of the diverse community which comes out to enjoy the many jerk delicacies and entertainment offered. Staying true to our commitment to grow our core brands and our core markets and cross over into the international arena, Grace Foods has seized the opportunity and partnered with JJFUSA. Now the fun begins!”
Joy Thomas, Grace Foods’ Market Manager speaking a the media launch to promote the 9th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival
Photo Credit: Infinite Creative Group
Digicel now a Presenting Sponsor
Digicel, the fastest growing mobile telecommunication operator in the Caribbean, has signed on as a presenting sponsor for this year’s event, joining supermarket chain, Publix.
“Digicel is delighted to be sponsoring the largest Caribbean food festival in the United States for a second consecutive year. This year promises to be even bigger and better, as it is our first year as a presenting sponsor of the festival,” said Digicel International Sales Operations Manager, Nadine Johnson. She added that Digicel is “committed to serving the needs of our Caribbean customers living in Florida through our wide range of products and services.”
Food and Cultural Explosion
One of the main features of the festival is the popular Publix Jerk Cook-Off in which fierce competitors vie for a cash prize, bragging rights and the honor of hoisting the coveted Dutch Pot Trophy.
Numerous food vendors will also be on hand to offer a variety of jerk products to titillate the senses and satisy the palate.
At the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival, patrons come for the food and stay for the cultur. While the spotlight is on the gastronomical delights, the variety of cultural expressions, traditional sports and sizzling hot entertainment have become as important to the festival as the jerk itself.
Patrons will be thoroughly entertained throughout the day with cultural presentations from the Digicel and Western Union stages. The Main Stage will feature artistes who will thrill patrons with a mix of reggae, soca, and other Caribbean rhythm; and the kids will be kept busy all day in the Kidz Fun Zone.
For the sports enthusiasts, there is a healthy servicng of popular sports like cricket, lovely cricket, football (soccer), netball and, of course, the always exciting domino tournament.
The fun will begin from the moment the gates open 10am and continue until the Main Stage closes at 10pm. So come for the food, bring the family and invite your neighbors to delight in this melting pot of food, culture and entertainment at the 9th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival.
Sponsors to date are Western Union, Air Jamaica, The Jamaica Tourist Board, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, WAVS Radio, HOT 105, Teleamerica, Jamaica National Group and VitaMalt. The event is produced by Jamaican Jerk Festival USA, Inc., in association with Jamaica Awareness, Inc.
