July 16th 2010 - Caribbean food festival to take place in Roy Wilkins Park, Queens, on Sunday August 15th


Thursday, July 15th 2010 – Brooklyn, New York:  Digicel, the best value mobile operator in the Caribbean, Central America and the Pacific, today announced details of its sponsorship of the inaugural New York Jerk & Yam Festival, which takes place on Sunday August 15th in Roy Wilkins Park, Queens.

The festival – which is being produced by Caribbean Media Marketing Inc. – will showcase the exotic taste of the best of Caribbean cuisine – including Jamaica’s national dish, Ackee and Saltfish – with a host other traditional activities including live music, storytelling and maypole.

Festival coordinator, Andrea Daley, said; “We are excited to have Digicel on board with us for the inaugural festival. Digicel is leading the way in serving the telecommunications needs of our Diaspora through its innovative online top up and calling card service. The New York Jerk and Yam festival is about celebrating the culture and traditional elements of our homeland and Digicel’s support is a perfect fit for that.”

To start the day’s proceedings, members of the local clergy will offer prayer for the rebirth and rebuilding of Haiti and Jamaica, followed by a brunch of Ackee and Saltfish. “We feel this is a perfect way to kick off the day,” said Ms. Daley. “Both countries have been through a lot recently. To unite the community in support, we’re focusing on the symbolism of food and the family gathering around the dining table – a meaningful tradition that both countries observe.”

Digicel Head of Marketing for the Diaspora, Marlon Davis, said; “As part of Digicel’s ongoing commitment to giving back to the communities it serves, we are proud to be supporting the New York Jerk and Yam festival which gives the Diaspora communities the chance to celebrate their great culture as they would back home in the Caribbean.”

The main contest of the day follows with chefs from the San Francisco Bay Area competing against the Jamaican Jerk Masters of Boston for the top prize of the Pimento Shield.

A culture yard - sponsored by Culture Jam 93.5 FM and led by The Caribbean Cultural Theatre - will feature traditional pieces such as maypole, storytelling and a children’s village which will encourage children to take part in the Caribbean traditions of their families.

The festival takes place from 11am-8pm and admission is US$25 per adult and children under 12 are free. For more information contact Caribbean Media Marketing on +1 718 235 0604.

Digicel currently offers a range of innovative products and services to Caribbean and Central American nationals living in the Diaspora, including online top up – where customers can log on to any Digicel website and top up or send minutes to people back home; retail top up – where customers can go into any one of over 100,000 retail stores in the UK, Canada, the Caribbean and the USA and purchase Digicel top up or send Digicel minutes to friends and relatives in their home country; and Digicel calling cards – where customers calling friends and family in Haiti and Jamaica can call home at competitive rates using minutes stored on the calling card.