Ocho Rios Seafood Festival, scheduled for Sunday, October 14 at the Ocho Rios Cruise Pier in St Ann, is poised to be a great event.

The weekend, Heroes weekend, will see party goers from across the island descending on the resort town in what already has been dubbed ‘the super weekend getaway.’

“It will be a grand weekend in Ocho Rios,” explained Camille Miller, marketing director for the Ocho Rios Seafood Festival. “Persons have already been bracing themselves for Super Sunday where no less than five events will be taking place.”

Miller said her organization has been working tirelessly to ensure that the Ocho Rios Seafood Festival lives up to its billing as the biggest single day culinary event in the island.

“Because of heavy rains associated with Tropical Storm Ernesto, Ocho Rios and by extension the garden parish of St Ann, never got to celebrate Jamaica 50 the way we would have wanted to,” she added.

“The Ocho Rios Seafood Festival was the official Jamaica 50 event for the parish and it was completely washed out. We have rescheduled for Sunday, October 14 and the feedback we have been getting has been tremendous.” .

Miller noted that it could no longer be said that Ocho Rios is the forgotten town, predicting what she called “an ATI like atmosphere over the Heroes Weekend.

“The entire equation changed in 2007 when we managed to pull a crowd in excess of 15,000 persons for the inaugural Ocho Rios Seafood Festival,” Miller continued.

“While Montego Bay could brag of having arguably the two biggest events on the local calendar, the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and Reggae Sumfest, we had nothing here in Ocho Rios.”

“Adding further insult to injury, Negril would always be reminding us of the firm grip it has on Spring Break, not to mention the annual summer blockbuster; ATI. Even Portland had a big say with its annual Portland Jerk Festival. Now, it’s our turn to brag as, in the Ocho Rios Seafood Festival, we now have a signature event that can hold its own against any food festival in this country.”

According to her, plans for the event are going well and interest has grown tremendously since last year.

“The response has been overwhelming. We now have Nitro on board as a main sponsor and a number of other companies expressing a similar interest. And as is now the norm, we do expect a large turnout of local and overseas visitors,” she said.

Miller said the festival will again be geared towards families and that a top flight entertainment package will be in the offering.

Meanwhile, the list of entertainers has grown to include Tommy Lee, Jimmy Riley, Tinga Stewart, Contractor, Specialist, Foota Hype, Nature, and Jermaine Michaels.