PORTLAND Jerk Festival organisers are promising patrons attending this year’s festival a treat of Jamaica’s unique food and popular culture.

The food fest, now in its 14th year, will be held at Folly in Port Antonio, on Sunday, July 7.

Scheduled start time is 10:00 am.

Kasey Bourne, organising committee chairman, said the festival will return to its roots as one which entertains its patrons.

“Is not that the entertainment is not important it is just that our focus will be entertaining people that have come to enjoy food,” Bourne said.

Bourne said in addition to the usual jerk pork and chicken, there will be breadfruit, goat testicles, squid, conch, fish, lobster, and shrimp on the menu.

The event’s title sponsor is Best Dressed Chicken.

“The Best Dressed Chicken is proud of our continued partnership with the Portland Jerk Festival. The festival evokes the Jamaican lifestyle – jerk chicken, family and great entertainment,” said Cordia Williams, Best Dressed Chicken brand manager.

Dennis McIntosh, Culinary Federation of Jamaica (CFJ) chairman, told the Sunday Observer the body is also promoting the idea of “growing what we eat and eating what we grow”.

“We’re trying to get young people actively involved,” McIntosh said.

Meanwhile, Oliver Mair, organising committee member, said jerk is the healthy, fast option.

“Jerk food is big business worldwide and this is the home of jerk. Many of us see jerk as just roadside food (but) internationally jerk is actually served in the top restaurants of the world as gourmet cuisine,” he said.