A section of one of several jerk stalls at last year's Florida Jerk Festival. - Barbara Ellington/Lifestyle Editor

Miami, Florida:

Impark, the third largest parking operator in North America has signed on as a sponsor to manage the parking and traffic logistics of the sixth annual Jamaican Jerk Festival scheduled for Sunday, September 23 at Markham Park in the city of Sunrise.

Traffic and parking have been major concerns for the organisers and they are happy to partner with Impark to resolve these issues. "The partnership with Impark will assist us in making access to the event easier this year," said Eddy Edwards, one of the organisers of the festival. "With Impark on board, patrons coming to the festival will find it much easier to enter the venue."

Premier event in South Florida

The Jamaican Jerk Festival has become a premier event in South Florida but has faced challenges in getting its over 8,000 patrons into Markham Park in a timely manner over the last two years. Plans are already in progress for this year's festival and some exciting changes and new additions will be included to enhance the event. Some of the changes already in place include; expanded hours 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; two cultural stages and an expanded corporate circle.

In signing the sponsorship agreement, Chester Escobar, general manager of Impark, Miami commented, "Impark is pleased to lend its expertise to the Jamaican Jerk Festival. We have a wealth of experience and capable resources that we will bring to the table to improve the flow of traffic into the park."

Founded in 1962, Imperial Parking (Impark) is an industry leader in parking management. With over 1,800 parking facilities, 425,000 spaces in Canada and the United States and 3,700 employees, Impark is the third largest parking management company in North America.

The Jamaican Jerk Festival is now in its sixth year and the festival is considered a major annual event for families in the tri-county areas of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. The Festival is a celebration of authentic Jamaican Jerk in its various forms, and includes jerk cook-off competitions, cultural displays, live entertainment, domino competitions and a children's fun zone. The event is produced by Riddims Marketing and Jamaica Awareness, Inc.

For further information contact Riddims Marketing at 305-891-1242, eddyedwards@bellsouth.net or www.jerkfestival.com.

Visit our website - http://www.caribbeanriddims.com