Excellent food, culture, entertainment & patron experience
The culturally rich and gastronomically delightful 11th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival at Markham Park in Sunrise, Florida brought out a diverse group of some 16,000 patrons – from grandmas and grandpas to babies and everyone in between – for a cultural and culinary feast that left them thoroughly satisfied.
The event, which was held on November 11 served up a top class, day long event, that had nary a dull moment. From the gates opened at 10 a.m. until closing time 10 p.m., patrons were kept fed, entertained and engaged.
The festival's chairman, Eddy Edwards calls the event, "One of the best we've had in our 11 years. All of our featured activities were on point and more interactive." He says, "Patron experience was vastly improved and there were no major issues." Such a report is an achievement for a festival of its magnitude and scope, which spans food, culture, entertainment and activities all in a one-day, family-friendly event. While pointing out that this year's staging is a model for future events, he says he and his team are always looking for ways to improve each year.
Culinary powerhouse
Cook-Off coordinator, June Minto, echoes Edwards' sentiments, saying this year was the best for the cooking demonstrations and competitions. She says, "The area was much more efficient because we had a live kitchen." The Coral Gables company, La Cuisine Clark, provided a microwave, refrigerator, range with oven and even the grills for the Publix Jerk Cook-Off!
In the fiery Publix Jerk Cook-Off, Chef Lawrence Males jerked his way to the top in a field of five competitors, walking away with the coveted Golden Dutch Pot and the $1,500 cash prize. Earning the silver was Chef Jimmie Jackson and copping the bronze was last year's winner, Chef Orrett Kentish.
Celebrities sizzled in the Quick Fire Challenge, putting up a tough competition as they duked it out. The cooking king, Chef Irie Spice was jerked out of the kitchen by Gason Nelson, personal chef to Dolphin's running back Reggie Bush. Two-time winner, former Miami Dolphins player Kerry Glenn gave a good showing, but couldn't stave off the culinary expertise of Vanessa James.
Of course, popular Grace Foods' Chef Maize Miller kept patrons in the Grace Village entertained and served up tips in the kitchen and samples, as she wowed with her culinary prowess.
Healthy serving of authentic culture
Jamaican culture – from the Tainos (Arawaks) to the ethnic melting pot of today – was on display on the Western Union Cultural Stage in celebration of Jamaica's 50th anniversary of independence. Performances from the Carimer Theater Group, The Jam Indians, cultural performer Queen Maxine; Miss St. James Festival Queen 2005, Narda Malcolm, and many others made the Western Union Cultural Stage a place for "edutainment," which is an important aspect of the festival, according to Cultural Stages coordinator, Bridget Edwards.
An artistic spread on the Digicel Cultural Stage had the audience feasting on performances from musicians, poets, artists, dub poets and others. Emcee Damali kept it tight while performers including gospel singer Kristine Alicia and photographer David I. Muir kept the crowd going. DJs Waggy T, Richie D and Dutty Dex rocked the stage with the hottest dancehall selections to close the night out.
50 years of musical excellence on the Main Stage
The Main Stage has always managed to deliver a musical feast for every palate, and this year was no different. Gem Myers brought the house down with some of her hits, while paying tribute to the greats. Freddie McGregor, who was not billed, stepped in for The Mighty Diamonds, who could not make it, and gave a fantastic performance. The rocksteady veteran, John Holt, electrified the stage with 1000 volts of pure entertainment, delivering hit after hit for the welcoming audience. Violin playing brothers, Sons of Mystro, shared the stage with Holt as they made great music with a musical great! Emcees comedian Elva and Jerry D had the audience in stitches with their stage antics in between performances. (S.M)
