WESTERN BUREAU – Despite having two deejays among the scheduled acts for this year’s staging of the 4-H Club’s Nyammins and Jammins Food Festival at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre in Montego Bay, the event will not lose its family focus.

Organiser Marlene Stephenson-Dalley said the primary goal of the show was to maintain the essence of the family and stress family values.

“This year’s show, like the previous events, will focus on the family,” she said. “And so we have entertainment that is clean and wholesome. The persons that we have chosen to be on this show are in keeping with our own beliefs.”

Upcoming deejay Mikey Ranks and his more seasoned counterpart Satta Ranks are billed to perform at the show which will be headlined by Freddie McGregor. Both entertainers are from Montego Bay. So, too, is singer Peter Lloyd, who is also booked for the event.

Stephenson-Dalley said preparations are well in advance and they are now putting the final pieces together. She expects a record turnout of students from schools across the island as the show has been heavily promoted in the schools.

And for those who flock to the festival every year just for the food, they will not be disappointed. They will have at least 150 booths from which to sample, almost twice the number of booths at last year’s show.

“We may have to build tents to host some of these booths because we have got an overwhelming response to the show this year,” said Stephenson-Dalley. “Right now we are putting in the final touches. The site has already been cleared and the area for the booths are being prepared.”

Some of the foods that will be available at the event will be used to showcase more traditional cooking methods and meals, some of which have been replaced by fast food restaurants.

And the show will offer a lot more than food and deejays. Asian car manufacturer China Motors will host a motor show at the event, featuring a display of its new line of pick-up trucks that recently rolled off the production line. These trucks are said to be suitable for Jamaican road conditions and are cost-effective.

Nyammins and Jammins will also feature two other entertainment segments – gospel and contemporary. The gospel segment will be highlighted by former Grace Thrillers lead singer Shirley Willis. The 2004 Gospel Festival winner Lubert Levy will also perform. The contemporary section will feature Fab Five and Rising Star Renee. There will also be a kids’ village, which will feature games including the simulator, bounce-about, Titanic, merry-go-round and games zone.