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Jamaica, Cayman’s closest neighbour, both physically and culturally, will be celebrating the 49th year of its independence this year.

In Cayman, the celebrations will take place on Friday, 5 August, and it promises to be a day to remember as everything Jamaican is celebrated.

According to organiser Banny Stephenson, the celebrations will have a definite family-friendly slant, with the intention being to stir childhood memories for those who have fond memories of visiting rural Jamaica during their childhood. However, Banny also says that the event will be the perfect introduction to Jamaican culture for the many nationalities that now call Cayman home. The event will also highlight and celebrate the cultural ties between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

The celebrations will go all day long, kicking off at 7am on Cardinal Avenue in George Town. There will be food stalls spanning the breadth of traditional Jamaican dishes, with mouth-watering options including roast yam and salt fish, rundown, jerk chicken and pork, ackee and saltfish, and blue drawers, to name but a few. Of course, there will also be manish water, for those with the mental fortitude to indulge.

The day will also include cooking demonstrations of traditions Jamaican dishes that may not be prepared as often these days, creating a unique link between food and history.

The activities on Cardinal Avenue will run all day until 5pm, so those working in and around George Town can drop in for breakfast, lunch and dinner – enough time to sample a good selection of the dishes on offer.

Of course, food will not be the only thing celebrated, and local Jamaican artists will also be displaying their work, while traditional dress will be the order of the day for those involved in the festivities.

There will also be a focus on the proverbs and sayings from the past, giving a unique insight into Jamaican culture, but also how it has changed over the years.

Yet the daytime festivities on Cardinal Avenue is only the start. In the evening, the celebrations will move to the Reflections parking lot, as entertainment takes centre stage.

Not that food will be forgotten – the evening will feature a festival celebrating that most famous of Jamaican seasonings – jerk. The jerk festival, which is sponsored by Grace, will see seven vendors taking part, and a panel of judges faced with the unenviable task of trying to decide on a winner.

The evening will see a true celebration of Jamaican culture, starting with performances by gospel artists, before the official message from the Prime Minister of Jamaica is read by a representative of the Jamaican consulate.

There will also be dance competitions and exhibitions featuring traditional dances, as well as video presentations featuring scenes from Jamaica. There will also be performances by folk groups to bring an extra bit of culture to the mix.

Of course, there will also be competitions and giveaways for the crowd, so with entertainment, food, and free stuff, the evening will definitely be a winner.

The evening will also feature a celebrity guest artist from Jamaica to headline the evening’s activities.

Christopher Martin, a performer from Back Pasture in St. Catherine, shot to fame after winning the Digicel Rising Stars title in 2005. With singles like Giving It and Jamaican Girls heating up the airwaves in Jamaica, Christopher became the first Rising Stars alumnus to score a hit single on the Jamaican charts.

The organisers promise that this event will serve as a dress rehearsal for the massive celebrations already being planned for the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence next year, and they encourage everyone to come out and see, taste and hear what makes Jamaica unique.

The event is organised by Roma United Sports Club, and sponsored by QuickCash, Digicel, The Observer on Sunday, Seaboard, Vibe, Coca-Cola, Partysurfers.ky, Treasure Island Resort, Kirk Supermarket and Grace. WH