Last year, 2019, I attended the inaugural staging of Rum Fest for the whole weekend. And it was fantastic, rum was flowing, food was good, few hiccups here and there but it was the first staging and there is perfection within the imperfect. So when they announced this year’s dates, I was ECSTATIC! Low and behold, because of previous commitments and the need to secure the bag, my only option was to attend the 2020 staging on day 2, the Sunday. My excitement dipped a bit, but nothing could quell the eagerness I had to attend.

Day one passed and I avoided social media like the plague! I couldn’t bear to see what I was missing out on, especially knowing that just hours later, I would be there. I could not wait! When I finally got back into Kingston, I quickly prepared to start my JaRumFest 2020 Experience. I got to the gate pretty quickly, as I expected a long line, similar to what I witnessed in the previous year, and because of the response to the event on social media, I assumed there would be a large early turnout. I was glad that was not the case. Ticket in hand, I was processed through the gate in mere minutes, handed my cup and drink chit (card with four rum sample allotments), and a complimentary ticket to a 355ml bottle of Wata. I was in and I WAS READY!

The entrance to the event was the same from last year and everyone was taking pictures, so I quickly moved on and that’s when I spotted the change in layout of the venue. As always, when drinking alcohol, its only right that food is in your stomach, so that’s where I headed. The food court was on my right and the rest of the event to the left. I was curious to find out why the change in layout from last year when everything was in one place… I soon found out why.

Before fully entering the court there was a coveted photo wall. It was clear that the organizers understood the treasured Instagram worthy picture. A grass wall donned with red flowers and the official sign that announced that YES, I was at Jamaica Rum Festival. It made for picture perfect Instagram posts that flooded social media for days afterwards.

The Food Court

If last year was a food court, this year it was a food village! Lots more vendors, seating, a screen to watch what was going on on the stage across the other side of the event, bathroom stations, seminar tents (tents that had “classes” on how to mix drinks and a mini rum tour) and a stage from which things were happening. People were on stage learning to make dishes, winnig prizes by spelling BadDawg Sausages… it was never a dull moment. As customary, I was beckoned to by the PinkApron food truck. I don’t know what happens, but my feet always leads me there first. The line was non-existent and owners, Timmy and Charissa were both looking out, smiles beaming, as I approached.

Lemme just say, I love food innovations. I love to look at food in magazines, watch food and cooking shows on Netflix and on television. Foods, I know, some of which I’ll never be able to taste, but they look so damn good! So when I saw the Mac Jam Bam on the menu, I was intrigued by the description. Let me tell you something! It’s mac and cheese… in a grilled cheese sandwich… with BACON JAM! My word! My anticipation peaked at this moment! Before I could finish cashing out, my food was ready to be collected. They had to have read my mind to what I was going to order… and they were right in doing so! The spices, the flavour, the combinations, the bread wasn’t too crisp to scrape my mouth, it was just the right temperature. Everything came together perfectly and the bacon jam added the right amount of sweet to it all. It was over as soon as I started, as I inhaled the sandwich, i’m sure, without catching a breath!

Just then, @thedonutflylist approached bearing an iced tea from @likkletea. It was so refreshing and was appropriate to wash down the sandwich. We also received a rum and coke popsicle from CocaCola, to ease the heat that had briefly washed over the venue.

Other foods available were sushi from Sora Japanese Sky Cuisine, pastas and pork from Tooksie Kay, pan chicken from CB Foods, Sharkies and their food truck, Happy Foods and their soups, Murray’s Fish and Jerk Hut with Copperwood Pork and BadDawg Sausages with their BadDawg and Rum infused Chili topping. If I could’ve had them ALL, I most definitely would’ve, but that’s the one problem I have had with festivals when it comes to their food. Each meal is individually priced, running up to $1200/$1500 at some outlets, but I would want to review all the food innovations for Rum Fest and I couldn’t drop that kind of cash. I would prefer, instead smaller sample sizes for a smaller price like $300. At which point, I would be able to try a little of everyone’s food and the vendors would reach a larger amount of people. That way I could give a better review on a wider offering without breaking the bank. Makes sense?

Later on throughout the day, I also had the BadDawg Chili Dog, the chili made by PinkApron and infused with rum. Again, these are creative food innovations that I live and breathe forrrrrr!

Fed and extremely satisfied with my sandwich, my rumpanions for the evening headed into the main attraction. Upon entry, you could get a bag of sugar cane to chew on, very appropriate as most of you know by now, rum is a by product of the sugar cane grown locally. The tent behind that offered more photo opportunities and a chance to learn more about the Joy Spence Appleton Rum Tour on the Appleton Estate in St. Elizabeth. Vendors lined the other side of the entrance offering sweet treats like macarons, cold pressed juices and teas.

The Artisan Village

There was also an artisan village that stood as shelter while a brief rain shower came and passed. I took the opportunity to take a look around and found vendors selling all sorts of wares. From jewelry, clothes, accessories, bags, plants, mugs and smoothies, I stumbled upon the cutest little trays and drinking accessories. This table by @creolejamaica is selling trays with drinking messages and coasters with rum drinking terms that really caught my eye. Any of these look familiar to you?

We are RUM People!

As the rain eased, we were ready to put our drink chits to good use. We spotted the Kingston62 cart and headed over to receive my 2oz sample. I could definitely feel the difference between last year’s larger sample sizes and this year because after consuming all four samples last year, I felt a little more “out for the count”. Other places offering rum samples were Monymusk Estate, Hampden Estate, JB Rum, Worthy Park and RumBar Rums, Sangster’s Rum Cream, Wray and Nephew and Appleton Estate, all local distilleries that are currently helping Jamaica earn the title of Rum Country. Throughout the evening, I was gifted with more drink chits that allowed me to sample more than four samples and added a little more sauce to my rumfest experience.

In my opinion, I wanted more diversity on how to make a cocktail using the rum. Yes, make available the samples for the rum itself but also, let me taste it in a drink, maybe made specially for Jamaica Rum Festival. I believe my navel string was cut using a rum cream bottle, so I would have loved to see how that was made into a cocktail that I could sample. I still enjoyed the rum cream however, its always a treat.

Tasty cocktails came from Chris Hyatt of CPJ and MonyMusk with cucumber infused, sorrel infused and thyme infused cocktails, a peach infused cocktail that was really divine but too small from Appleton Estate, and my favourite, a spice cocktail from Hampden (pictured below). I sampled the cucumber infused cocktail that was mild and pleasant. Definitely something rum infused and refreshing that could be had with Sunday brunch. I also tried the thyme infused cocktail and my gosh, I felt hairs grow on my chest. If there was ever “a man’s drink” that would be it. The rum was strong with that one. But my fav, Spice, by Hampden Estate, was like drinking a cocktail that you could have repeatedly. You know how satisfying eating Sunday dinner is, this cocktail felt like that. Just what you would need to settle the humdrum of the day. By the time we made it to Wray and Nephew, their samples were finished… womp. Jamaica Producers also provided complimentary rum infused pineapple jello shots that was an new treat!

Dominoes and Drunk Jenga

As the night went on, my friends and I were kept thoroughly entertained by the hosts on stage, the dancers and the musical acts but we went instead in search of activities we could engage in.

At the Rumbar booth, dominoes was being played and after we had moved on Appleton engaged is in a game of giant jenga. Playing jenga when tipsy is THE MOST FUN, because you really have lost some semblance of balance and end up wondering if its you or the jenga blocks leaning to one side. Hahahahaha! I am pleased to say, I DID NOT topple the tower, even after several rounds of playing! A giant success for a newbie jenga player in my opinion!

After the games, Appleton still kept us entertained as we snapped away with more picture perfect, Instagram aimed posts with the bottle shaped swing in the ball pit. I had missed the swing at last year’s staging and vowed not to miss it again this year! I didn’t 😀

People continued to file into the venue in anticipation of the stage show line up for the night, but I needed foooood and I had just gotten wind that @hmgrwn.co and @the.plantry was in the building! I headed over to see what they were offering! I’ve been having more vegan food lately, (I don’t know if the universe is tryna say something) and I was in store for some more. The Plantry had a vegan mac and cheese and vegan nachos for sale, in addition to ice cream (caramelized onion and chocolate), and popsicles, yes, all vegan! I could not choose so I got the nachos and the mac and cheese and as usual, the food was delicious and it wasn’t the rum talking. Follow my foodie page @whatsnewonthemenu for a full review of ALL the foods I’ve had from The Plantry. It really is tasty, healthy and a vegan alternative if you want to switch up your diet.

More shenanigans, more drink samplings later and the frequency to pee was building. I’m really glad the organizers understood the workings of a bladder under alcohol duress because a large tent with numerous porto-potties was always close by and effectively managed. Tissue was never out (as is the issue at many public events) and there were sanitation facilities to wash hands available at the same place. Annnnd, it did not smell like a bathroom, which is usually the case.

If I am to be honest, I didn’t go for the musical delights promised to end the night. Last years two day line up was amazing and as I hear it, this year was exceptional as well. I missed Mortimer and Protoje the first night, so when the wear and tear of the day started to settle in and the feeling of intoxication started to rise, I was ready to head home.

Once the decision was made, my group and I were on a shuttle bus in no time and back to the parking lot in even less. Really efficient service even though PEOPLE WERE STILL COMING IN! Seeing so many familiar faces was a delight to me as many I had not seen for years! See some highlights below:

The Highlight Reel

This year’s staging was a well executed event, with what could be managed. There are a few tweaks that I’m sure they’ll address in the years to come, but there is without a doubt in my mind that each year will be bigger than the rest as it grows in popularity and offerings! It’s my second time attending and I didn’t do the seminars, so next year I’ll be there for it all!

Jamaica’s Festival Marketplace is seeing the birth of these new cultural experiences showcasing all that this tiny island has to offer and I AM HERE FOR ALL OF IT!

Where to next?

So look out for the next festival, Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Fest and meet me there!

And I wanna hear from you! Let me know in the comments how your rum fest experience was!