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Coffee festival in the Blue Mountains

Published:Thursday | March 29, 2018 | 12:00 AM
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Contributed
Member of Parliament Juliet Holness gives Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett a sip of her iced coffee at the recent Blue Mountain Coffee Festival last weekend!
Contributed
From left: Adam Stewart, chairman of the Tourism Linkages Council with the Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, and Jordan Samuda, group director, Procurement Division at Sandals Resorts International.
Managing Director, Coffee Traders Ltd, Jason Sharpe, shows off one of his brands -Cafe Blue.
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Jamaica's first Barista Champion, Lamar Williams, from Cafe Blue!
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Member of Parliament Juliet Holness, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and Chairman of the Tourism Linkages Network, Adam Stewart, officially opened the first-ever Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival, on Saturday at Newcastle in Irish Town, St Andrew.

With its immense earning potential, coffee plays a major role in Jamaica's tourism product, and had 38 exhibitors on display from coffee houses, coffee purveyors, body and beauty products, jewellery, art and personalised gift items.

The day's activities featured performances by Dance Expressions, Charlestown Maroons, Tarrus Riley and the Black Soil Band.

A major highlight of the day was the barista competition judged by award-winning caterer and member of the Gastronomy Network, Lorraine Fung, Emprezz Golding and Tracy-Ann Francis.  Jamaica's first barista champion is Lamar Williams from Cafe Blue. The event hosted approximately 650 patrons for its first staging and next year promises to be bigger and better.