Indulge in your favourite Caribbean cuisine at Toronto’s Grace JerkFest 2019

 (Media Release)

Top 5 things not to miss at this year’s festival from Aug. 9-11 at Centennial Park in Etobicoke

TORONTO – The festival with all the flavour is headed back to Toronto this August for another year of tasty jerk cuisine and hip-swaying entertainment.

Celebrating 18 years of Caribbean food, culture and music, the 2019 Grace JerkFest, Presented by TD, will take place August 9 to 11, 2019 at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. Guests can enjoy the unique flavours of traditional jerk-style cooking while taking in authentic R&B performances throughout the weekend.

“Festival weekend is just around the corner and we can’t wait to bring the flavours and energy of the Caribbean to Toronto,” says Anthony Plummer, Executive Director of the Festival. “This year will feature new acts, new food and new experiences. It’s definitely a weekend you won’t want to miss.”

With so much to see and do at the Grace Jerk Festival, be sure to add these top 5 things to your to do list:

Sandals Experience – The islands are calling! This year at Grace JerkFest, Sandals Resorts will be giving away one 3-night stay in Jamaica. The festival will also welcome Sandals Chef Glenroy Walker, who will be cooking up a storm, creating Caribbean-inspired dishes for guests. 

Entertainment – Don’t miss this year’s line-up of talented performers and local talent at Grace JerkFest. On Friday, Aug. 9, catch the fourth annual Love and R&B Edition, Men of Soul II featuring four-time Grammy nominee and platinum-selling artist Jeffrey Osbourne along with multi-platinum artist, Ginuwine. On Saturday, Aug. 10 and Sunday, Aug. 11, Freddie McGregor and Dexta Daps will hit the stage for a memorable wrap-up to the festival weekend. The TD Cultural Stage will also welcome a variety of musical and non-musical local performers in an effort to promote the talents of new and upcoming artists from across the Greater Toronto Area.

New Jerk Food & Demo Tent – Enjoy the tastes of the Caribbean with delicious jerk cuisine right at your fingertips. Experience live workshops inside this newly created space with Chef Walker & Chef Noel, a chef, entrepreneur, food writer and culinary consultant. Learn how to bring the Caribbean into your own kitchen with how-to demonstrations each day at 12 noon, 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Meet n’ Greet Boat Cruise – Kick off a fun-filled weekend at Grace JerkFest and sail away on a pre-event cruise aboard the River Gambler at Pier 31. On Thursday, Aug. 8, enjoy live music by Spex Da Boss and meet andgreet Freddie McGregor, Dexta Daps and Ginuwine. The cruise will board at 7:30 p.m. and guests will enjoy a delicious, authentic dinner of jerk cuisine.

The Caribbean Children Foundation & North York Harvest Food Bank – Help give back with Grace Jerk Fest by supporting our food drive for the North York Harvest Food Bank.  During our Customer Appreciation Hours of 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, patrons can enter the park for $2 plus canned foods for the foodbank.  Patrons can also donate online or at our gates to the North York Harvest Food Bank & The Caribbean Children Foundation. TCCF is a Canadian-based charity that brings children from the Caribbean to Canada in order to receive medical treatment, as well as sending doctors to care for kinds in the Caribbean. The festival will accept donations which can be made when purchasing tickets online, or directly at the gate prior to entry.

To get your tickets to this year’s festival, please visit jerkfest.ca.

For more information on Grace Jerk Festival, visit www.jerkfestival.ca, follow @JerkFestival on Twitter and gracejerkfest on Instagram, use the hashtags #jerkfest2019, #jerkfestTO and #GraceJerkFestTO, and like Grace JerkFest on Facebook.

ABOUT GRACE JERKFEST

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 since 2014 and is one of Ontario's top 100 festivals since 2011.   

Now in its 18th year, Grace JerkFest has grown to be a staple calendar event in Toronto and draws thousands of visitors each year. Grace JerkFest 2019 will take place from August 9-11 at Centennial Park in Etobicoke.