Halifax’s first-ever Jollof Festival kicks off Saturday

The Halifax Jollof Festival celebrates the food and culture of West Africa.

The Halifax Jollof Festival is making its debut on Saturday, with thousands expected to attend.

“It’s a dream come true, but it’s also a celebration of multiculturalism,” says Modele Akintokun, the festival’s head of strategy.

“We’re building community around jollof rice, which is one of the staples and well celebrated meals coming out of Africa.”

Akintokun says the event is a long time coming for the city.

“Halifax is a blossoming diamond in the rough right now, and so it is time for Halifax to begin to enjoy big festivals that put people together from all kinds of cultures,” she says.

Preparations are already underway for Saturday’s festivities.

“We’ve got food, we’ve got games, we’ve got the beer garden, we’ve got a vendor village. We’ve got different types of food, it’s not just going to be jollof rice. There is roasted yam, there’s roasted corn, and there’s the beef kebab known as Suya out of Nigeria, West Africa,” Akintokun says.

Saturday’s festival will also feature live music.

“I’m from Antigua in the Caribbean and I’ve performed at way more African events than pretty much any other events, and it’s always good vibes, always so much fun,” says artist Asha Prince.

Chris Henshaw and his band “Chris Henshaw & The Coming Storm” says he is excited to take part in the event.

“It’s really important to hold space for like different cultures and people to come together, because music and food are the most universal languages that we have,” he says.

The event will also feature a jollof cook-off, with chefs from five countries going head-to-head in a steep competition.

“People are very passionate about their jollof. Senegalese say theirs is the best, the Gambians say theirs is the best, the Nigerians and the Ghanaians are all over it…so hopefully tomorrow will settle the debate once and for all and see whose jollof tastes best,” says food vendor Olakunle Fakiyesi.

The festival kicks off at 11 a.m. at Tremont Plateau Park and will run until 7 p.m.

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