Grace JerkFest Goes Virtual With Reggae Superstar Beenie Man
Announces Artists, Hosts For First-ever Free Live Stream Event
For Immediate Release
Toronto Ont. (July 8th, 2020) – Grace International Jerk Food & Music Festival (Grace JerkFest), Presented by TD is setting the summer on fire wth one of the hottest Reggae performers, Grammy Award winning recording artist Beenie Man (King of the Dancehall, Girls Dem Sugar, Sim Simma), headlining this year’s festival. The two day FREE event takes place Saturday August 8th and Sunday August 9th, 2020 on the JerkFest.ca website from 6pm to 10pm each night.
“We are extremely excited to bring to our Grace JerkFest family an amazing virtual experience as we adjust to the times we are living in right now,” explained Anthony Plummer, Executive Director of the Festival. “However, by moving the entire festival to our website, we are actually going to be reaching a wider audience and giving more people a taste of the culture, music and food.”
Fresh off his Verzuz battle with Bounty Killer which showcased Jamaican culture to the world, Beenie Man is ready to perform some of his biggest hits for the Grace JerkFest Lives Stream on Saturday August 8th. Opening up for him will be the Queen of Soca, Alison Hinds from Barbados (Roll It, Thundah, King and Queen)
The pairing for Sunday August 9th will be Jamaica’s fast-rising songbird Lila Iké (Forget Me, Biggest Fan) and Grammy-nominated Reggae singer Jah Cure (All of Me, Rasta).
Grace JerkFest will be hosted by Canada’s Renaissance man Jay Martin, Rebel Vibez’s Carrie Mullings aka Mumma Canada, Blog TO’s Azalea Hart, Internet/Instagram Funnyman Majah Hype and Jamaican Comedian White Yardie. They will be taking the audience through a full slate of Canadian performers showcasing Caribbean dance, steelpan and music intertwined with cooking demonstrations by popular Chef Noel Cunningham along with surprises and giveaways. There will be jerk food specials from GTA vendors available for pre-order to enjoy during the Live Stream as well as curbside pick-up and delivery offered during the broadcast.
“TD is proud to present GraceJerk Festival and sponsor the musical stage as part of the TD Ready Commitment. The festival provides an important opportunity to showcase the rich cultures of Caribbean communities, and with it being virutal this year, opens the door for all Canadians to take part in the experience. GraceJerk Festival has brought people together for two decades, and we’re thrilled that the organizers have overcome current challenges to connect new communities across Canada and beyond through its virtual version,” said Naki Osutei, Assoicate Vice President, Social Impact (Canada), Global Corporate Citizenship.
During this time of COVID-19 with families struggling to put food on the table, Grace JerkFest is continuing with its tradition of giving back to the community. Donations will be encouraged during the broadcast with 100% of the funds going to the North York Harvest Food Bank, The Knights Table and Agincourt Community Services.
To Book Interviews with Artists, Organizers and Chef Noel Demos:
Contact: Fennella Bruce|FKB Media Solutions | 647.290.7610 | fennella@fkbmedia.com
For more information about Grace JerkFest:
Visit www.jerkfestival.ca, Follow @JerkFestival on Twitter gracejerkfest on Instagram and GracejerkfestCanada on Facebook.
About Grace JerkFest
Grace JerkFest is an annual event celebrating jerk cuisine and Caribbean culture organized by not-for-profit organization Caribbean Promotions Arts & Culture Inc.
Grace JerkFest has been voted by BlogTO as one of Toronto's top 50 must attend summer events in 2014 and 2015 and one of Ontario's top 100 festivals since 2011.
About the TD Ready Commitment
TD has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. As part of its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment, TD is targeting CDN $1 billion (U.S. $775 million) in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow – Financial Security, Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through the TD Ready Commitment, the bank aspires to link its business, philanthropy and human capital to help people feel more confident - not just about their finances, but also in their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit td.com/tdreadycommitment.