Groove Is in the Park

Summer is tough on Floridians. Months of sprinting from one pocket of air conditioning to another can crush your soul. Fortunately, one festival is set to revive it: This Sunday’s Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival will pack in enough slow-cooked love to shift your EKG reading from sluggish to soca.

As the temperature outside drops to a bearable range, you’ll warm your belly with tantalizing Caribbean treats while sneaking peeks at entrants in the meticulously measured jerk competition. Reconnect to island culture with moko jumbie stilt walkers, joint-jilting contortionists, and the highly anticipated “Bandana Goes Bashment” fashion show. Take a digestion break and loll near the daylong domino tournament or cruise the highly competitive cricket match for tips on SoFla’s fastest-growing sport. Just don’t miss this festival, or your stomach will never speak to you again.

Admission is $10 in advance, $20 at the gate, and free for children under 10. For online tickets or a list of participating ticket vendor locations, visit jerkfestival.com. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Markham Park.
Sun., Nov. 8, 10 a.m., 2009