Apopka celebrates ninth annual Jerk Festival

The 9th Annual Florida Jerk Festival brought the soul and spices of Caribbean culture to Apopka on Sunday. The eight-hour event, which was held at the Apopka Amphitheater, featured over a dozen food trucks and merchandise vendors, as well as performances from famed reggae artists.

Each year, the festival continues to grow in honor of National Jerk Day and the preservation of Caribbean culture.

The smell of jerk chicken and fresh coconuts wafted from the top of the field to the stage as vendors spent the day cooking Caribbean cuisines on site. The event included the annual cooking competition between some of these vendors and cooking demonstrations for attendees. Bounce houses and a face-painting station were also set up for kids to enjoy free, while adults could enjoy their own free samples of whiskey. While there was a clear emphasis on providing unique entertainment and food, several vendors noted another reason for having the festival was even more important.

“This event highlights Caribbean culture to a lot of people who don’t know about it,” said Asa Don, owner of Zion Gates Culcha Shop. “As a vendor, I’m excited about making sales, but as a patron, I love to see the culture and the entertainment tonight.”

Much of Don’s merchandise revolves around Jamaican icon Bob Marley, who has greatly influenced Caribbean music and instrumental styles. Some of these artists performed on Sunday, including Spragga Benz, Pumpa, and Grammy-winning band Inner Circle. Many local attendees came to listen to their Caribbean comfort music as another means of personal connection.

“I actually met my husband through reggae, and we bonded over music just like this,” said Orlando native Adreanna Brown, who attended the festival with her husband, Derrick. “This festival has such good vibes and helps bring people together in unity.”

Derrick shared similar feelings in that the event was a way to “bring peace” while finding a bright cultural spot in Florida.

“With Florida being so diverse and so many people migrating here, a lot of times you can’t find the culture because it’s mixed up in the tourism,” said Brown. “This kind of an event gives you a grounding and an anchor back to the culture.”

For some, this cultural pull was enough to cross state lines. Sandra S., the owner of Island Love Cakes, flew in from New York to attend the festival. This is the first time she has tried selling products on a national level, with Florida being her initial venture into this plan.

“This event is such a melting pot of different cultures, which also gives me exposure to different clients,” said Sandra. “From a cultural perspective, this is also important for minorities to be able to sell products and also patronize different businesses in a blended environment.”

The jerk festival was marketed as a family-friendly event, open to people of all ages and residencies. Because of this, attendees also noted how children could be impacted by the event’s mission.

“It’s great that, because of these kinds of events, the youth can learn about the history of different cultures,” said Metisse Holness, who came particularly for the reggae concerts. “A lot of these artists are older, so the kids don’t know about them. This event gives them the chance to learn about them and what we grew up on.”

The next Florida Jerk Festival will be hosted in West Palm Beach for a Memorial Day cookout on May 29th. General admission tickets are now on sale for $20 until 2023.