Epic Caribbean food and music festival coming to Toronto this summer

Jerkfest is back, Toronto. The annual festival celebrating Caribbean food, music, art, and community will return this summer from Friday, Aug. 8, to Sunday, Aug. 10.

"We're excited to bring back JerkFest Toronto for another unforgettable year of celebrating Caribbean culture through music, food, and community," says Anthony Plummer, founder and executive director of Caribbean Promotions Arts and Culture Inc.

"You can get up close with talented chefs, dive into the rich sights, sounds, and tastes of Caribbean culture — it's a full-on island experience right in the city that you don't want to miss."

The 2025 festivities will take place in Etobicoke at Centennial Park, which is accessible by TTC.

While more information about the festival won't be available until closer to the event, right now we have some details about the epic performances, including Friday night headliner, Jamaican dancehall superstar Valiant.

With almost 300 million YouTube views, Valiant is known for hits like "Dunce Cheque" and "Narcissistic." 

For Saturday and Sunday, one act has been announced so far: Jamaican Dancehall deejay Agent Sasco, also known as Assassin. Agent Sasco is a star in his own right, but has also collaborated with big names like Shaggy, Marcia Griffiths, Beres Hammond, and even Kendrick Lamar.

You can also get excited about all the delicious food that will be available at Jerkfest, with a lineup of chefs TBA. Beyond snacking, you can immerse yourself even further by attending one of the live cooking demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.