Community News
Come for the Food, Stay for the Fun! – JERK FEST 2018
BY: ALYSSA MAHADEO
What could be better than a huge festival of music and food? How about something hot spicy and full of flavour like the biggest jerk festival in the country?
Now in its 17th year, Grace Jerkfest was the place to be August 10th to 12th at Centennial Park in Etobicoke.
“Jerk cooking is not only delicious, it is historically and culturally important to the Caribbean,” says Anthony Plummer, Executive Director of the Festival. “Today it is more than just a flavour from the islands. Jerk food can be found pretty much anywhere around the world. At Grace Jerkfest, we’ll take you back to its roots with some unique twists and variations that honour traditional jerk cooking and seasoning.”
Grace Jerk Fest 2018 kicked off their festivities on August 9th with a meet and greet boat cruise aboard the exquisite double-decker, River Gambler. Patrons were able to meet RnB songstress and Canada’s very own Melonie Durrant and the legendary Jamaican Reggae duo, Chaka Demus & Pliers.
Everyone was invited to enjoy the extended long weekend of festivities by dining and dancing the night away under the starry skies to the groovy sounds of one of Canada’s number one Reggae DJ SPEX DA BOSS, spinning the best of the 80’s to present in R & B, Reggae and Soca.
Five lucky cruisers were selected for a special Meet & Greet with former American Idol & Grammy award recording artist FANTASIA on for the following night at the Love and R&B Edition – Ladies of Soul performance at Jerkfest the next evening.
From Friday – Sunday thousands came from near and far to take part in the Jerkfestivities. People who had been in the city for the Toronto Carnival the previous weekend, as well as guests from the US, were all amongst those who travelled just to sink their teeth into some good food and jam to the sweet sounds of the Caribbean.
“We don’t have anything like this where we are from,” shares Dwayne the Ambassador, a gentleman who came on a chartered bus from New Jersey.
“This event got us feeling excited because we been winning, and in more than one way,” he says enthusiastically. “We’ve won money and prizes and getting ready to go on stage to meet Fab 5.”
Dwayne is one of many who travelled to this amazing summertime event rain or shine. Jerkfest is something people look forward to as the summer begins the wind-down.
For over 10 years Grace has been working closely with the organizers at Jerkfest and the relationship has grown, nurturing the partnership they have today where Grace is a central focus and title sponsor of the event.
“The Grace Experience tent is a must visit at the event this year, Chef La-toya will be cooking up a wild array of jerk delights using Grace Jerk products and patrons will have a chance to ask questions for how they can go about doing something similar in their own homes,” says Anthony.
At the Grace Experience tent Chef La-toya Fagon prepared scrumptious dishes in her unique style that fuses her Caribbean roots with some Mediterranean flavors. The tent was filled with tasty Grace products from seasoning and sauces to add that extra WOW factor to any dish as well as cool beverages and snacks for the public to purchase and enjoy.
“Some of the vendors have brought out exotic animals like jerk bison, rattlesnake crocodile, and frog legs for those who are not too wimpy to try, but there is also the crowd favorites like jerk chicken, pork and fish and even jerk lobster.”
The jerk style of cooking was developed by escaped African slaves who fled into the mountainous regions of Jamaica in the 17th century. While variations exist, the seasoning is basically allspice with scotch bonnet peppers providing the heat to a meat that is slowly smoked over hardwood charcoal.
There is nothing quite like the mixture of spice and smoke on the palate like you get with a traditional jerk cooking.
Guests were treated to performances for that included the third annual Love & RnB edition features former American Idol, Grammy Award-winning and platinum-selling artist Fantasia, with an opening performance from the Juno-winner Durrant, Rayzalution Band, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Fab 5 as well as many other local artists, community dance groups and steel pan bands to get your body moving.
Finally, for those avid Jerk Festival fans, some were able to partake in a Platinum Garden Experience where you were encouraged to spoil yourself with the festival experience that caters to you like no other. Patrons were able to secure reserved seating right in front of the stage, including a delicious jerk chicken dinner, two appetizers, two alcoholic beverages, swift access past lines at the Festival gates, a Grace JerkFest gift bag, a meet and greet with festival headliners, and a chance to win a three-night vacation for two, accommodation only, compliments of Travellers Beach Resort Jamaica & Caribbean Promotions Arts & Culture Inc.
Grace JerkFest is an annual event celebrating jerk cuisine and Caribbean culture organized by not-for-profit organization Caribbean Promotions Arts & Culture Inc. Grace JerkFest has been voted by BlogTO as one of Toronto’s top 50 must attend summer events in 2014 and 2015 and one of Ontario’s top 100 festivals since 2011.