(Image Credit: Caribbean Cultural Society)

By Michael Reeve

CARIBBEAN FEST 2022

Kamloops’ Caribbean Food and Music Festival returns Saturday to Riverside Park

Aug 18, 2022 | 4:20 PM

KAMLOOPS — The next summertime festival at Riverside Park is set to invade the city for one day only on Saturday.

The sights, sounds and smell of Caribbean culture are returning to the Tournament Capital for the second Kamloops Caribbean Fest. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fest could not be held the past two years.

The Caribbean Food and Music Festival is set to get underway at 10:00 A.M. this Saturday and run through to the end of Music in the Park at around 8:30 P.M.

Jeremy Rodney, with Kamloops’ Caribbean Cultural Society has been working feverishly to get everything organized in short order.

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Kamloops businesses go green to create a sustainable future

6h ago

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: A big month for the Pride community and our Indigenous peoples

15h ago

Two and Out

PETERS: NDP, Conservatives still desperate for power in Victoria

May 30, 2025

“It’s very exciting. The only thing is it’s just a mad rush with the delay in releasing the mandates and getting people back out. That caused a late start to the planning process and because of that everything now is a rush. We are running around getting everything in order to make sure this is a fabulous event that everybody in Kamloops love and will remember,” said Rodney.

The plans are already underway to possibly expand the festival in 2023. But, before that, the star of the Saturday festival will be a close competition between the various musical acts, the long list of fun events, and, of course, the authentic Caribbean cuisine.

“You guys can come on down and enjoy our signature jerk chicken, jerk pork, curried lamb, because many people don’t like the curried goat,” joked Dane Sanguinetti. “Come on down, the flavour will be there, the taste, the smell, the entire feel, like you are in the Caribbean really.”

Throughout the day, various events will be held including jerk chicken eating contests, and much more for the entire family to enjoy.

There will also be a beer garden featuring Jamaican rum punch.