Entertainment

Barbados Food & Rum Festival Launched Globally

The atmosphere could be described as electrifying at the official global launch of the 2023 Barbados Food and Rum Festival in London.

From July 15th – 16th, the flavours of Barbados were showcased at the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival by a team of award-winning local chefs and mixologists. The team highlighted the best of Barbadian cuisine to give people a sample of what they can expect at the 2023 Barbados Food and Rum Festival being held from October 19th – 22nd.

Showcasing the Best of Barbadian Cuisine

Over the weekend, thousands of food and rum enthusiasts flocked to the Barbados booth to get a taste of Chef Seth Hasin-Bromley’s delectable cuisine and mixologists Philip Antoine and Alexander Chandler’s aromatic rum cocktails.

The crowd was not only capitated by their delicious delicacies and rum mixes but also by the vibrant energy they brought to London.

Celebrating Culinary Destinations

The National Geographic Traveller Food Festival offers a unique range of dining, drinking and learning experiences from across the globe. It also brought together famous chefs, authors and experts to celebrate food and travel at London’s Business Design Centre.

This was the second year Barbados participated in the Festival and established an even bigger presence this time around.

Director of the UK office for the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI), Cheryl Carter, stated “This culinary platform is an excellent way for us to promote the Barbados Food and Rum Festival and it also helps us to reinforce the message of Barbados being the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.”

UK represents the largest percentage of visitors to Barbados, so it was only fitting that the global launch of the Food and Rum Festival was held in the market at such a prestigious event.

**Director of UK at BTMI Cheryl Carter (left), with UK MasterChef Shelina Permalloo. (BTMI)**

International Chef Participation

At the global launch, UK Master Chef Shelina Permalloo was officially introduced as one of the three international chefs being featured in this year’s Festival. Chef Permalloo is British Mauritian and the 2012 BBC’s MasterChef Champion.

Excited to be a part of the festival, she said “I can’t wait to showcase some of my Mauritian food with some Bajan flavours. I went to Barbados when I was 19 and it is the only place I want to return to. The people are amazing, the food is incredible, and I just can’t wait to go back.”

Chef Permalloo will be hosting one of the Chef Classics at All Seasons Resort Europa on Friday, October 20th and a dinner at one of the island’s fine-dining restaurants on Saturday, October 21st.

Exciting Contests

Patrons who visited the Barbados booth during the two-day event and purchased any Food and Rum ticket got a chance to win a flight for two to Barbados in October. Additionally, a contest was held in partnership with the Crane Resort Barbados, which garnered approximately 1,498 sign ups.

The Barbados Food and Rum Festival will be held from October 19th – 22nd with eight signature events. Tickets for the festival are on sale now via foodandrum.com. (PR/GIS)

Entertainment

Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony This Friday

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment will host the Sagicor Life Inc. Lighting Ceremony this Friday, November 1, marking the start of the annual community Independence celebrations.

This year’s ceremony will be held under the theme Celebrating Our Communities: Re-engaging, Re-igniting, Re-imagining, and will take place on Friday, November 1, at 5:30 p.m., at National Heroes Square, The City.

Following the Lighting Ceremony, the celebrations will continue with a Bajan Brew at 7:00 p.m., offering an evening filled with spouge, drama, song, and steel pan performances.

The event is free and open to all, providing an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy the rich cultural heritage of Barbados as we celebrate Independence.

Patrons are encouraged to arrive early and make any necessary transportation arrangements due to expected road closures in the vicinity of Wharf Road and Trafalgar Street. (PR/GIS)

Entertainment

A SEA OF YELLOW AT RISE & RUM BREAKFAST PARTY

Patrons enjoyed a day filled with food, fun, and sun at Rise and Rum, the penultimate event of this year’s Barbados Food and Rum Festival.

Food lovers had an abundance of delicious dishes to savour on Saturday—from roasted breadfruit and seafood boils to various fish delicacies and scrumptious desserts, offering a wide array of options to enjoy.
Of course, there was no shortage of entertain, and local bands Square One and Krosfyah once again teamed up to keep the crowds grooving as they enjoyed their savour foodie treats in fine style.

Entertainment

Let us celebrate Jackie Opel

Tuesday 27^th August was a significant day in the history of local music. It marked the birthday of Dalton Bishop better known as Jackie Opel. The musical icon would have turned 84. Jackie Opel was an outstanding singer, composer, and creator of the Spouge music genre who was born on August 27, 1938, in the inner-city area of Chapman Lane.

*Shantal Munroe Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office*

In 1962 Jackie migrated to Jamaica where he lived for six years. He was influential in the formative careers of some of Jamaica’s iconic entertainers. From Bob Marley to Jimmy Cliff, Ken Hopeton, Alton Ellis, and the early days of the band The Wailers.

On his return to Barbados Jackie Opel was gearing up to take his career and his newly created spouge music to a higher level. Plans were afoot to produce a concert, but fate was not kind, and he died in a car accident on Bay Street on March 9, 1970.

Special Free Concert Yesterday

The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) hosted a special concert, last night, in Freedom Park to honour Jackie Opel.

A cast of some of the island’s top singers graced the stage to perform a wide range of spouge songs. The modest audience can count themselves lucky to have attended an event that will be a benchmark in local music history.

Artists thrilled those in attendance

Performers included the following, Wendy Alleyne, Shadia Marshall, Keisha Christian, Mickey Dee, Mike Grosvenor, Colin Spencer, Desmond Weekes, Jamal Slocombe, Simon Pipe, D J Simmons, Bit Bit, Ishiaka, Romario Greaves, Alix Cage, Adrian Clarke and Edwin Yearwood.

Senator the Hon. Shantal Munro-Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office delivered the opening remarks, and Ambassador to CARICOM David Comissiong delivered the feature address. It was generally felt by those in attendance that a Jackie Opel Birthday Concert should be held annually. (Article and photos by Christopher Williams)