Boston JerkFest Caribbean Foodie Festival

Boston JerkFest will open its 13th annual Caribbean Foodie Festival on Friday, July 10, at Ohiri Soccer Field in the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston, with programming scheduled through Sunday, July 12. The festival’s official site and Eventbrite listing describe this year’s event as a three-day expansion at 95 North Harvard Street, near Harvard Square. Organizers say the weekend will combine Caribbean food, live music, chef competitions and family programming. ### Where and when is the festival happening? Ohiri Soccer Field at the Harvard Athletic Complex will host the festival at 95 North Harvard Street in Allston, according to Boston JerkFest and Eventbrite. Friday’s opening event is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., with VIP entry at 6 p.m. and general programming centered on a Rum & Brew tasting and concert. Saturday’s main food and music festival is set for 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday’s Community Soccer Fest is scheduled for noon to 5 p.m. (bostonjerkfest.com) The festival entrance is listed at 95 N. Harvard St., and organizers recommend public transit through Harvard Square, with bus routes 66 and 86 also nearby. Boston JerkFest says parking is limited, with paid parking available across from the festival and advance parking passes sold through Eventbrite. ### What is new in this year’s setup? (bostonjerkfest.com) The 2026 edition expands to three days and adds a free Community Soccer Fest on Sunday, according to the festival website and a local announcement published July 8. Boston JerkFest says the added day was tied to World Cup interest and will include soccer drills, games, family activities, food and arts and crafts for sale. (bostonjerkfest.com) Nicola Williams, president of The Williams Agency and founder of Boston JerkFest, said in the July 8 announcement that this year’s “Feme Tropikal” theme is meant to celebrate women in Caribbean culture. Williams said the festival was adding women’s soccer to the weekend lineup and called it the event’s biggest edition yet. ### Who is scheduled to perform? (bostonjerkfest.com) Nailah Blackman is scheduled to headline Friday’s Rum & Brew Tasting and Soca Concert, according to Boston JerkFest and Eventbrite. The Friday event is limited to attendees 21 and older and includes rum, beer, cocktail and nonalcoholic beverage tastings, organizers say. Alison Hinds and Sister Nancy are billed for Saturday’s food and music festival, alongside local artists, DJs, poets and dance performers, according to the festival site and the July 8 announcement. (bostonjerkfest.com) Eventbrite also lists Amaziyah the Great, Jah Riffe and additional performers as part of the weekend lineup. ### What food and activities are on the schedule? (bostonjerkfest.com) Boston JerkFest says vendors will sell Jamaican jerk-spiced dishes and other Caribbean food, including seafood and vegetarian options. The festival’s website also lists a Chef Demo Stage, a Jerk Cook-off, a Seafood Throwdown, a marketplace for specialty foods and crafts, and a Kids & Culture Zone with face painting, storytelling and arts activities. (bostonjerkfest.com) The Seafood Throwdown is part of a Boston-wide campaign run with the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries and other partners, according to the festival website. Organizers say the event is intended to highlight sustainable, seasonal local seafood. ### How do tickets and admission work? Eventbrite says attendees can buy one-day or two-day passes from the ticket page for the July 10-12 festival. (bostonjerkfest.com) Boston JerkFest says children 12 and under are admitted free with an accompanying adult for the Saturday festival, and SUN Bucks, WIC and ConnectorCare cardholders receive half-price Saturday admission. Friday’s Rum & Brew event is listed as a 21-and-over fundraiser for Sustainable Food and Culture, while Sunday’s Community Soccer Fest is free to attend, according to the festival website and the July 8 announcement. Organizers say updated schedule details, vendor information and parking passes are available through Boston JerkFest and Eventbrite before the festival opens on Friday, July 10. (bostonjerkfest.com) (eventbrite.com)