FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Following the successful staging of Falmouth Artisan Village Food Festival 2025 on Independence Day, patrons are now calling for the event to become an annual tradition.

The well-attended festival staged by the Tourism enhancement Fund (TEF) ran from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm and featured a variety of gastronomy and entertainment offerings suitable for the entire family.

“I hope it will continue. It’s something that I am looking forward to again. There is a variety of food and delicacies, and then entertainment. It must be staged annually,” patron Christine Carnagie insisted.

Webster Thompson expressed similar sentiments.

“It’s an excellent idea and it should be made into an annual event because adults and children are having a good time here. It’s a good family-type of event where you don’t have lewd music and everybody having fun; the variety of food and drink is great. So it just needs to be made into an annual event that people look forward to, something else in the Trelawny calendar of events,” Thompson told the Jamaica Observer.

De-yen Smith also supported the view that the festival should be held each year and suggested the addition of a dedicated kiddies village that encourages physical activity.

On Wednesday children flocked the virtual reality area at the event.

“While we see all of this we also want to have the likes of bounce-about and the other things. That would be done earlier in the day so that [during] the night the entertainment for everybody would come in,” suggested Smith.

Their calls for the festival to be an annual event were in line with comments made earlier by TEF Executive Director Dr Carey Wallace.

“This will be an annual event… definitely. In fact, we may do it twice per year, depending on the need for it. Because I think a lot of persons appreciate… the delicacies. Plus, the setting is outstanding; it’s a very lovely setting,” he told the
Observer.

“To get these types of experiences, gastronomy experiences, I think persons don’t want to wait a whole year, so we may have to do it more often. We felt staging an event like this down in the west here in Falmouth would provide the kind of entertainment on an Independence Day for the families around this area. And as you can see, they’re here enjoying it,” he added.

Guests were treated to signature dishes from top local chefs and restaurants, live performances by past Digicel Rising Stars winner Remone D Watson, a mento band, DJ Karromell, the Artisan Village entertainment cast, and a fire show.

There was a steady flow of traffic to Fada Chris Endz which served pork, which seemed to be an overwhelming favourite among guests.

“I am so disappointed that I was not able to get any of the pork as it run out so fast,” one woman was overheard complaining.

A fire dancer performs at the Falmouth Artisan Village Food Festival 2025.

Fada Chris Endz’ pork was a popular item..

Digicel Rising Stars 2023 winner Remone D Watson going through his well-received set at the Falmouth Artisan Village Food Festival 2025.