Thousands of enthusiasts converged on Miramar, Florida, for the 2024 Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival, held on Sunday, 10 November 2024, over the Veterans Holiday Weekend. Despite intermittent rain, attendees gathered at the city’s expansive Regional Park to savour authentic island flavours, indulging in a variety of delectable jerk dishes that tantalised taste buds throughout the day.
Presented in association with the Publix supermarket chain, this annual festival in South Florida was a remarkable cultural celebration of Caribbean food, music, and vibrant atmosphere. The aromatic Publix Culinary Stage featured top chefs competing in cooking competitions, alongside family-friendly activities and surprises for all ages.
A highlight of the festival was the Celebrity ‘Quick Fire’ Challenge, featuring a lively showdown between Alexis Frazier of Local 10 News and Kris Anderson of NBC6. These media personalities stepped out of their newsrooms and into the outdoor kitchen to create the most scrumptious jerk-inspired dish. Jamaican sprinter and Olympian Briana Williams was among the judges evaluating their creations. After the competition, Alexis Frazier was awarded the Todd Tongen Celebrity Quick-Fire trophy. Her joy was evident as she proudly displayed the trophy to the audience.
As the day progressed, attendees enjoyed mouth-watering jerk dishes and a variety of Caribbean cuisines before gathering at the entertainment stage for a show-stopping performance by the legendary ‘Energy God’, Elephant Man. He delivered hits like ‘Pon Di River’, ‘Signal Di Plane’, ‘Elephant Message’, and ‘Nuh Linga’. Other notable performances included Nigy Boy (also known as Continent Boss), Shuga, the Fantells, Chalice, and the Jenny Jenny Dancin’ Dynamites. Top DJs such as DJ Radcliffe, Richie D, Extatic Sound, and DJ Worm kept the crowds energised during intermissions and band changes. Emcee duties were adeptly handled by Jody Ann Gray and comedian Chris Johnny Daley.
The festival was attended by several celebrities and officials, including Oliver Mair (Consul General of Jamaica to the Southern USA), Wayne Messam (Miramar Mayor), Yvette Colbourne (Miramar Vice Mayor), Hazelle Rogers (Broward County Commissioner), Joy Smith (Commissioner of the City of West Park), Pat Montague (award-winning radio host and CEO of Pat Montague Marketing & Promotions), Clinton Lindsay (broadcast journalist, radio station manager, concert promoter), Tanto Irie (DJ host of Reggae Runnings on Hot 105 FM in South Florida), DJ Mikey Mike of WZOP/WZPP FM radio in South Florida, Singing Melody (Jamaican reggae singer and member of L.U.S.T.), Safaree Samuels (Jamaican-American rapper, actor, and reality TV star), Zeke Don (Jamaican dancehall artist), Whitey Orderz (manager for Safaree and Zeke Don), Ninja Kid (Jamaican veteran dancehall artist), Jazzy T (of Renaissance Disco), Steve James (of Reggaeville), David Muir (photographer and co-founder of Island Space Caribbean Museum), Howie Chin (VP Records), Foota Hype (Jamaican dancehall personality and sound system selector), and Eddy Edwards (CEO of Jamaican Jerk Festival USA, Inc.).
The 2024 Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival was a resounding success, offering attendees an unforgettable experience of Caribbean culture, cuisine, and entertainment.