Barbados Food and Rum Festival all set to return from Oct 24-27, know deets

Barbados: The Barbados Food and Rum Festival is all set to take place from October 24 to 27, 2024, and will feature a number of exciting activities. 

As the festival nears, the organizers have expressed their excitement, saying, “From our free events to our premium All-Inclusives, experience Your Ultimate Foodie Dream Weekend in Barbados from October 24th - 27th.”

The events for this culinary festival will this year begin as early as October 5 which will lead up to the main events from October 24 to 27. 

The events will give visitors a chance to try the local food and the several ingredients which will be locally grown and will be used to cook a number of mouthwatering dishes. 

The festival will kick off with Junior Chef Cook-Off Competition Finals on Saturday, October 5 from 4 pm to 7 pm at Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute following which Culture of Cuisine Talks will be held on Sunday, October 13 from 4 pm to 7 pm at Hayman’s Market, St Peter.

The organizers said that individuals can participate in this exciting event at a cost of USD$15 per person to discover the history of rum, delve into the fascinating tales of food, and learn about sustainable food practices at these unique, thought-provoking discussions. 

People can then enjoy Bajan Fair on Sunday, October 20 from 12 pm to 8 pm at Kensington Oval, St Michael. The ticket to join this event is priced at USD$10 for adults and USD$5 for children under 12 years while for children aged 3 and under, the ticket is free.

The Bajan Fair will feature non stop fun, laughter and food for the entire family along with Rum Shop Village, Live Entertainment, Fun, Games and Activities, Local Foods, Vendors Market, Cheerleading Competition and Chant Competition. 

In addition to this, on October 24, visitors can be a part of the exciting Oistins Under the Star event featuring chefs Damian Leach and Renee Blackman. This free event will be held at Oistins, Christ Church from 7 pm to 12 am. 

Then on October 25, during the Chef Classics, visitors can learn the best kept recipes, insider tips and tricks of the trade from world renowned chefs Renee Blackman, Wandile Mabaso and Michael O’Hare. The ticket for this event is priced at USD$100 and the event will be held from 11 am to 12 30 pm at various restaurants islandwide. 

The Rum Route on October 25 will feature rum samples, while the entry to the event is priced at USD$100 per person. It will comprise the story of rum, during which the visitors experience an extraordinary journey filled with rum-tasting, distillery tours, music, and a moving party from 6 pm to 11 pm. 

One of the main events, Rise and Rum Breakfast Beach Party has already been sold out. This premium, all inclusive breakfast party will be held from 4 am to 11 pm with the dress code being sunrise yellow. 

Moreover, the Journey of Food Restaurant Night will allow visitors to sit with the international chefs Renee Blackman, Wandile Mabaso, Michael O’hare and Creig Greenidge and have dinner with them. The event will begin at 7 pm across various restaurants.

The last day of the festival will be Liquid Gold Feast on October 27 from 7 pm to 12 am, for which the dress code is Black Tie. This grand finale will be an ultra-premium all-inclusive experience with tickets priced at USD$200 (Early Bird) and USD$210 (Regular).

The complete calendar of events for this year’s Barbados Food and Rum Festival are as follows:

• Saturday, October 5 – Junior Chef Cook-off Competition Finals
• Sunday, October 13 – Culture of Cuisine Talks 
• Sunday, October 20 – Bajan Fair 
• Thursday, October 24 – Oistins Under the Stars 
• Friday, October 25 – Chef Classics 
• Friday, October 25 – Rum Route 
• Saturday, October 26 – Rise & Rum Breakfast Beach Party
• Saturday, October 26 – Journey of Food Restaurant Night 
• Sunday, October 27 – Liquid Gold Feast