JerkFest is the spiciest and most flavourful food festival of the summer with everything from traditional jerked chicken and pork, to more exotic meats like alligator, kangaroo and moose.
Presented by sponsor Grace Kennedy, this outdoor festival celebrates the tantalizing flavour of jerk cuisine, and unique flair of Caribbean culture from Saturday, August 9 to Sunday, August 10 inside Centennial Park at the base of the ski hills from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.
Voted one of Ontario’s top 100 festivals by Festival and Events Ontario (FEO) three years in a row and dubbed one of Toronto’s top 10 food events of the summer by BlogTO, it comes as no surprise that the festival is celebrating its 13th anniversary, and anticipates over 60,000 visitors.
Founded in 2001 by Anthony Plummer, JerkFest – the only Canadian festival of its kind -continues to grow exponentially each year. “I started JerkFest to build and strengthen the Caribbean community in the Greater Toronto Area. Having recently moved to the city I was asking friends about local events and was surprised that with all the cultural food festivals in the city none were dedicated to delicious jerk cuisine. JerkFest brought our community together by letting us celebrate and share our unique Caribbean culture and cuisine which we are so proud of. Each year the festival grows because Canadians from all cultural backgrounds have discovered a love for jerk.”
New to this year’s festival is the JerkFest merchandise pack, for sale online for $30 and $40 on event day. The pack includes; a sample of one featured jerk vendor’s signature dish, a jerk chicken meal, two drinks (including El Dorado rum), and a festival t-shirt, tote bag, and sunglasses.
Those who purchase the merchandise pack are eligible to participate in the Rock in JerkFest Style contest. By taking a picture with their merchandise and posting it on Facebook and/or Twitter, they will be entered into a draw for this year’s top vacation prize to Orlando, Florida valued at $2,000.
Admission to the festival is free. However, for a two dollar donation and contribution of a non-perishable food item, attendees can be entered into a door prize draw for a chance to win one of three prize vacations to Jamaica. There are a total of seven prize vacations up for grabs with a combined value of $8,500.
Proceeds raised will support St. John’s Ambulance, the Ontario Domino Association, and the JerkFest scholarship fund. Event organizers, Caribbean Promotions Inc., anticipate awarding six post-secondary scholarships valued at $500 to $1,000 this year. All non-perishable food items will be donated to the Knight’s Table.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
20 Jerk Food Vendors- With 20 jerk food vendors serving everything from traditional jerk chicken, beef, pork, lamb, seafood and vegetables, to exotic meats like alligator, kangaroo, moose and frog, it would seem the festival’s motto is; if you can name it, you can jerk it! Returning to this year’s festival is last year’s winner of the Peoples’ Choice and Best Jerked Chicken Vendor; Dunnsberry Catering from Brampton, Ontario.
Attendees can also try other Caribbean foods from the six light food vendors like cheese cake, roast corn, mannish water, conch soup and more.
Two Beer Gardens- JerkFest is a licensed event. This year’s event will have two beer gardens serving Caribbean and Canadian beers, and El Dorado rum for attendees ages 19 plus to enjoy.
Reggae, Soca, Calypso, and Rock- Attendees will feel like they escaped the city dancing to island inspired music. Festival acts include; iconic Jamaican band Fab 5, rock reggae band eKhaya, and the four time first place winner of Toronto’s Pan Alive competition Pan Fantasy Steel Band who play soca, reggae, calypso, and more.
Kid Zone- The Kid Zone will keep children entertained with face painting, inflatable rides, rock climbing and midway rides. All Day Play wristbands will be sold for $20, and ride tickets 10 for $20, or four for $10.
Learn to Jerk Workshop- The Art of Jamaican Jerk Seasoning workshop hosted by Chef Selwyn Richards, author of The Art of Cooking, will bring out the inner ‘Jerkologist’ in participants. Two sessions will be held each day of the festival. Participants can pre-register online at jerkfestival.ca as spaces are limited.
Win with JerkFest -This year’s festival offers competitive fun with competitions like; So You Think You Can Jerk, Hot and Spicy Jerk Chicken Eating Competition, Don’t Jerk That Spoon, and the Drop A Six domino challenge. Contestants can pre-register online for competitions as spaces are limited, or can register on event day.
