Barbados Food & Rum Festival

GOOD food, good rum, good music and good people were the ingredients that were mixed together to produce the Barbados Food & Rum Festival 18 launch at Estate 101 in Maraval.

An upbeat Corey Garrett, Caribbean and Latin America director of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI), was only too happy to invite TT people to the festival from October 18-21.

He said, “Our team plans to focus our efforts via direct consumer promotions such as partnering with local retail, entertainment and hospitality stakeholders. As digital marketing is mainstream, we will also be partaking in various online promotions via culinary portals, such as those hosted by our good friends at Foodie Nation and TriniChow… just to name a few. With airlift partner Caribbean Airlines, we are also hoping to create special travel packages for the festival via co-op marketing initiatives.”

BTMI has dubbed 2018 the Year of Culinary Experiences, he said, "and we are doing all things food-themed this year, from highlighting the tasty ‘foodie’ adventures that are available on the island from high-end restaurants to fresh dishes served in beach shacks. We have also introduced new festivals and events centred around gastronomy and rum such as the Sugar and Rum Season and the re-vamped Oistins fish festival.”

At the June 14 event, guests were treated to some samples of what can be expected at the festival. Chef Michael Harrison, Chef Damian Leach and mixologists Shane McClean and Jamaal Bowen served up their specialities.

Local pannist Mikhail Salcedo got guests in the mood with songs from Bajan and TT artistes and Lujoe and The Gifted took guests on a musical trip around the world