THE organisers of the fourth annual Ocho Rios Seafood festival are confident that this year’s staging could be one of the blockbuster events of the summer. The event is slated for Sunday, August 1, at the Urban Development Corporation’s (UDC) Turtle River Park in Ocho Rios, St Ann.

Telecommunications giants Digicel, as well as the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), and the RJR Communications Group are on board with sponsorship or endorsement of the event.

“Our goal this year is to cement our claim as the biggest culinary and family oriented event in the country,” explained Samantha Laing, assistant marketing manager for the festival.

Laing added that the aim has always been to create a first rate product and a signature event for the resort town of Ocho Rios, noting that several of the local hotels have been getting forward bookings from persons overseas wanting to be in St Ann for the event.

She said organisers are confident that, barring the unforeseen, the festival will again be well supported and could exceed the 15,000 that turned out in 2007.

“The festival will be held on the Emancipation Day weekend — on a day when Ocho Rios should be overflowing with visitors,” Laing said. “Traditionally, this is how it has always been on a holiday weekend.”

The festival will be a day-night affair and will have

a family-oriented theme throughout. There will be a children area with swings, rides and bounce-about, while the rest of the park will be decorated with food stalls and display booths.

She noted that despite the numerous challenges over the years, the Ocho Rios Seafood Festival has managed to “stay afloat” and is again ready to reclaim its mantra as one of the leading culinary shows in the country.

Among the artistes scheduled are Ken Boothe, Jimmy Riley, Busy Signal, I-Octane, Mr Vegas, D’ Angel, Stacious, Dada, Hero, Determine, Captain Barkey and Wickerman, Prezident Brown, Junior Cat, PZ, Chuckle Berry, Kontractor, Toya and Baby Chris.