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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 the lush and spacious 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.

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 Miller whose cooking demonstrations will wow patrons, as she displays some of the tastiest Caribbean food products by Grace.

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-ethnic 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!”

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 satisfy the palate.

At the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival, patrons come for the food and stay for the culture. 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 rhythms; and the kids will be kept busy all day in the Kidz Fun Zone.

For the sports enthusiasts, there is a healthy serving of popular Caribbean 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 10:00 a.m. and continue until the Main Stage closes at 10:00 p.m. 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.