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One of the delights of spending time in the Caribbean is the chance to sample some excellent rums. The Barbados Food and Rum Festival provides an excellent opportunity to discover Barbados rum while enjoying the best in Caribbean cuisine.
Barbados is increasingly seeking to promote itself as a foodie experience. The theme of the 2023 Barbados Food and Rum Festival is Feed The Future.
The selections on offer are highly varied, from street vendors to tasty beach food to fine dining of the highest quality. The food events are held in a range of venues around the island, with Bajan restaurants creating special menus for these four days. These will be announced over the coming weeks on the event website, but expect lobster and lots of freshly-caught fish.
There will be creative interpretations of established local dishes like flying fish and cou cou (cornmeal and okra), salt bread, fish cakes, breadfruit and pudding (mashed sweet potatoes and onion in pig’s intestine – like a sausage).
In addition, the mixologists will be tempting you with a range of cocktails, including varieties of alcoholic and non-alcoholic punch.
A personal suggestion is to try the mature Barbados rums. An old rum is like a single malt; it needs no adornment. Just take a comfortable chair, watch the world go by, and enjoy the caravan of flavours as the rum travels from your lips downwards.
Other events slated for the schedule are: Oistins Under the Stars, Chef Classics, Rise and Rum, a Bajan fair and and community pop-ups. There is also a sunrise Rise and Rum on Copacabana Beach. The Grand Finale is Liquid Gold on 22October.
A schedule of events will be found here.
Things to Do in Barbados?
As you would expect, the beaches are spectacular. There is quite a lot of history here too, from tours of the capital Bridgetown and the old military area, The Garrison, as well as restored plantation houses. Harrison’s Cave has almost one and a half miles of caverns. There are the botanical gardens and boat and beach parties.
Linked to this festival are a chocolate tour and, making rum since 1703, the Mount Gay rum distillery.
The Barbados Food and Rum Festival is not the only festival in the island. Why not try our 3 Barbados Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss.
When is the Barbados Food and Rum Festival 2023?
The event is from 19 to 22 October.
Flights to Barbados
Grantley Adams International Airport is the entry point. There are flights from Fort Lauderdale, London, Miami, New York, Toronto and many Caribbean islands.
For more on the Barbados Food and Rum Festival
Click here and for more information on what to do in Barbados, here. All images Mark Bibby Jackson.
