Freddy McGregor singing his classic song
Producers of the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival - New York made their mark last weekend with the successful staging of the inaugural festival at the Roy Wilkins Park in Queens.
The spectacular affair drew close to 7,000 Caribbean nationals, who began lining up at the entrance from as early as 11:30 a.m. for the noon opening to get their taste of the variety of jerk food and entertainment served up on Sunday, July 24.
An oasis of jerk stalls and craft booths provided delighted patrons with the opportunity to sample a number of mouthwatering Caribbean dishes including Jerk rice, jerk burgers, jerk tofu, jerk lobster, jerk corn, steamed fish and festival that were prepared by vendors.
There was a cultural stage which featured performances by Braata Folk Singers, Mario Evon, Nikki N’joy, and many others while children had their own Kidz Zone with rides, face-painting, a magician and puppet show.
Another attraction at the event was the Jerk Cook-off tent where patrons enjoyed demonstrations by Miami-based Chef Irie Spice and Mazie Miller, Grace Food’s Top Chef, who showcased the use of Grace products in creating several mouth-watering jerk recipes.
“The food was on point and absolutely sensational” said Jamaican born Henry Spence, who made the trek from Mount Vernon in New York.
“What a wonderful family event. I had a blast! This is the way to enjoy the summer” he added, between bites of jerked chicken.
The main stage opened with Ity & Fancy Cat, who delivered their special brand of Jamaican humour that left patrons in stitches.
Dancehall hitmaker Serani also performed along with Assassin, aka Agent Sasco with veteran singer Freddy McGregor closing the show, delivering arguably the best performance of the event.
“We are very pleased with the positive response from patrons and participating sponsors to the initial staging of the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival in New York” said Eddy Edwards, Chairman of Jamaican Jerk Festival USA., one of the sponsors.
The others were Inc, and VP Records.
All feeds
