Food, drink, music at Ja Beer Festival

by

Kimberley Small

May 28, 2016

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Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer Red Stripe Beer Festival Ding Dong performing with Ravers Clavers

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer These two enjoy a pool game

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer Red Stripe Beer Festival A Guinness Girl shows off her dancing skills while dancing to 'Tom Cruise' in the Guinness Lounge.

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer A group of patrons wait to sample the flavoured brews of Red Stripe

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer Busy Signal performs a number of his hit songs

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer Red Stripe Beer Festival A giant-sized checkers game takes place in one of the Red Stripe booths

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer Red Stripe Beer Festival A foosball game in full swing

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer Caribbean Passion's Chef John Comrie (left) and Red Stripe's Naason Brown (right) heat up the kitchen with food demonstrations at the Jamaica Beer Festival

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer A section of the audience

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer Nesbeth gives his all in his performance

Christopher Martin

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer A patron called 'Kangaroo Man' is called onstage by Ding Dong to perform for the crowd.

Darien Robertson/Freelance Photographer Elephant Man the 'Energy God' lives up to the alias, jumping from the stage scaffolding while performing.

The Jamaica Beer Festival made a subtle splash last weekend as the lawns of Sabina Park were circled with booths from Red Stripe, Heineken, Guinness and Smirnoff Ice.

CB Foods created The Village, a makeshift food court lined with tents offering foods under various CB brands. While the attraction should have been the drinks, the crowd came out for the show.

Each brand offered it's own attraction. With Red Stripe, patrons could enjoy a game of dominoes or Checkers on a life-size board. Red Stripe also conceptualised the Flavour House contest, offering patrons a taste of cherry zest, melongie and red rush, each flavour designed by a member of the public. The creator of cherry zest, Ali Williams, walked away with $15,000 in prize money.

The World of Heineken booth offered alternative beer options through the brands Desperados and Amstel. They also brought in a pool table, a foosball table and two flat-screen TVs playing FIFA.

CLUB ON THE LAWNS

Guinness conceptualised it's own club on the lawns. With the purchase of two bottles of Guinness, patrons could enter their air-conditioned space, decked out with its own DJ and a zinc fence to beat.

Even though it's not beer, Smirnoff invited it's own attention. People gathered at Smirnoff for $200 cocktails served in branded mason jars.

It seemed quite the spectacle as a crowd encircled the bar around international mixologist Thomas Mattison.

Even with free general admission, the venue was sparse until the artistes' section of the event began.

Ding Dong was the opening performance. He led his Ravers Clavers up the scaffolding, through the crowd and over their allotted time. They were followed by reggae artiste Mackeehan, accompanied by Chevaughn, to perform their new track, Find My Way Home.

Nesbeth and Elephant Man came and delivered in their usual energised fashion. Busy Signal closed the show with the finesse of a seasoned performer.