Keisha Shakespeare Blackmore, Staff Reporter

Winner of Dutch Pot Cook-Off, Dr Sharon Jefferson (right), with Rachel Dunn, celebrate with presenter Chester Bishop and master of ceremonies Jerry D. - photos by Dwight Nelson

MIAMI, Florida:

At the annual Miami Jerk Festival held at Markham Park, Florida on Sunday, November 9, the vibe was not just about the jerk, it was also about United States president-elect Barack Obama.

The festival began at about 10 a.m. and as soon as the gates to were open, patrons flooded the park in large numbers. And by the end of the day local Miami police estimated that the crowd had swelled to close to 20,000 people. Many sported Jamaican colours while some sported Barack Obama T-shirts.

This year, there were 25 food booths, 25 art and craft, and 15 alumni booths. A few of the art and craft booths showcased Obama memorabilia. Others had everything Jamaican from T-shirts and jewellery to flags and guests enjoyed every bit.

Spicy jerk aroma

As the day progressed, the air was filled with the smoky, spicy aroma of all things jerked; chicken, pork, lobster, fish, popcorn and more. These held patrons captive in long lines for hours. Vendors like Amy Simister, the self-styled world's greatest peanut man, walked around the park with his cart shouting, "nuts man". Another interesting character, George Wooten, found a spot for his ice box filled with Red Stripe Beer and patrons of all cultures came to a have a drink of the delicious brew.

The day's entertainment activities included Christopher 'Johnny' Daley, comedian and Joan Andrea Hutchinson, poet/storyteller. Other acts included the Jamaican Folk Revue, a Cooyah and Kulture Klothes fashion show, and Tallawah Mento Band. There were also many giveaways.

Children got their faces painted and played on the bounce-a-bout and the more adventurous went rock climbing. Sports lovers got to enjoy netball, football and domino competition.

There was a celebrity cook-off between Calvin from Channel 10 ABC News and Sharon Lawson from NBC 6 News. Jamaica's own Maisy Miller, popularly known as host of the TV programme Creative Cooking, kept guests' interest by cooking up a storm Jamaican-style throughout the day at the Grace booth.

By 4 p.m. the main stage entertainment package began and before long the lawn was filled with patrons on blankets, towels and chairs, while some just kicked back on the grass, 'yadie' style.

David McClymount's jerk pork.

Barbara and Dale Wright show off their tasty jerk dishes