Finds New Location and Launches Boston Hot Sauce Fest
PRESS RELEASE / APRIL 12, 2022 (Boston, MA) – Eat, Drink and Be Irie at the city’s hottest festival of the summer, the 9th Boston JerkFest and a new Boston Hot Sauce Fest to be held at a new location with an expanded footprint, at the Harvard Athletic Complex near Harvard Square, 145 North Harvard Street, Allston, July 1-2, 2022. “Prior to the pandemic, we were bursting at the seams, and have been seeking a new home for this premier Boston cultural food festival – Harvard stepped up to partner with us,” said Nicola Williams, festival Producer. “This is an amazing location and ideal space to bring back Boston JerkFest, a much anticipated and treasured community event.” Celebrating all things spicy and hot, this outdoor family-friendly, Caribbean-style food festival, features local Jamaican jerk spiced food. New this year is the launch of the Boston Hot Sauce Fest, and entertainment for the whole family. The festival kicks off with a Rum & Brew Tasting on Friday July 1, 2022, 5:30 – 8:30 PM (5pm for VIP). The spicy festivities get hotter with the Boston JerkFest and Hot Sauce Fest on Saturday, July 2, 2022, 11 AM – 7 PM
Jerk is the specialty cuisine of Jamaica that is not only mouth-burning hot, but also includes delicious blends of aromatic spices to wake up all your senses. Key ingredients include Jamaican Scotch Bonnet peppers, thyme, and allspice. Jerk dishes are typically served with bright tropical flavors such as pineapple, mango, and sweet onions to balance out the heat. Billed as a Caribbean foodie festival celebrating all things hot, Boston JerkFest will feature the best local Caribbean Chefs cooking up authentic Caribbean, jerk style meals, international and local spicy foods, spicy specialty foods, and
homemade Caribbean drinks for sale.
Dive In – Keep it Local at Boston JerkFest!
This year’s festival will include a marketing campaign entitled “Dive In” to promote local seafood that is underutilized and available abundantly. The campaign was launched in 2018 featuring Cape Shark (dog fish) and was made possible by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game. Boston JerkFest food festival will feature Jerk-style Chef Demos, such as a Seafood Throwdown and Jerk Cook-off in collaboration with Northwest American Marine Alliance (NAMA), and World Farmers. In the Seafood Throwdown, two chefs will battle it out to see who can concoct the best dish with a local-day boat seafood ingredient, jerk spice, and with produce grown in Massachusetts by immigrant farmers of World Farmers, Inc. Festival attendees will get a chance to taste and judge alongside a panel of Boston-based foodies. The Chef demos at Boston JerkFest are fun, educational and community driven activities that promote the traditional flavors of Caribbean cuisine using local food.
Rum & Brew Tasting at Boston JerkFest- Friday, July 1, 2022, 5-8:30 PM
The Rum & Brew Tasting will be held on Friday night for 21+ year old festival attendees. The evening will feature live music and tastings of craft beer, hard cider, wine, artisan beverages and a variety of Caribbean themed libations. A jerk meal is included in the ticket price this year, and we can’t have tropical drinks without coconuts, so there will be plenty on hand for sale! The Rum & Brew Tasting will include Cocktail Demos and a Caribbean Cocktail Throwdown, featuring Boston’s hottest Mixologists who will stir up the best “Irie” drinks made from products featured at the Rum & Brew Tasting. A panel of judges, including festival attendees will vote for their favorite drink and help select the winner, who will own bragging rights for the 2020 Boston’s Best Caribbean Cocktail.
Boston JerkFest & Hot Sauce Fest, Saturday, July 1, 2022, 11:00 AM-7 PM
On Saturday, the spicy love fest continues as top local and regional favorite Caribbean restaurants and caterers will cook up jerk-inspired creations for sale to eager fans. The festival offers authentic Caribbean, international, and local spicy food for sale, including spicy meals and Caribbean desserts, as well as traditional home-made drinks from the Caribbean. Festival attendees will get a chance to taste and judge as alongside a Boston-based panel of foodies for our Seafood Throwdown and Jerk Cook-off events.
Our traditional Spice Lane has been expanded to a new featured component of the festival, the launch of the Boston Hot Sauce Fest, which offers unique spiced and tropical specialty foods, hot sauces, hot jams, hot jellies, hot candy, and jerk inspired spices. The festival is a family-friendly event and features a Kids & Culture corner with children’s activities including face painting, on-site steel drum classes, and arts and crafts to enjoy. The music stage will feature live bands jamming to the tunes of reggae, soca, steel drums, world music, and more jamming to live music to get your “Irie” vibe on. The Reggae Lounge on both days is the adult hang-out spot, with games such as dominos, cocktail demos, and lots of adult fun. The Reggae Bar on Saturday will include beer, wine, and rum punch for sale.
Boston JerkFest is produced by The Williams Agency, and sponsored by Harvard University, Massachusetts Department of Fisheries, North American Marine Alliance, Red’s Best, The Word Boston, and World Farmers. A portion of the proceeds of this event will support Cambridge Carnival International’s Cambridge Youth Steel Orchestra and Sustainable Food and Culture. Advance tickets for Boston JerkFest are free for children under age 10. Early bird tickets General Admission tickets are $12 for Adults and $5 for children ages 10-14, through May 7, 2022. Rum & Brew Tasting advance tickets are $50 for General Admission, and $100 for VIP Admission (VIP tickets are 2-Day Passes). Advance sale 2-Day Festival Passes are $55 for General Admission. Connect on social media @bostonjerkfest for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Call for Artists, Chefs and Vendors
To inquire about how to participate in Boston JerkFest and Hot Sauce Fest, complete this inquiry form here – https://bit.ly/BJFCall. Press photos can be found here. For vendor and sponsor information, and more information, visit www.bostonjerkfest.com contact The Williams Agency at 617-395-7680.
