WESTERN BUREAU:

"After a one-year hiatus, the Trelawny Yam Festival is back with a bang and for good," Hugh Dixon, executive director of the Southern Trelawny Environmental Agency, has announced.

The festival, slated for Saturday, April 11 and Monday, April 13, will be held under the theme 'One Parish, One Family, One Festival'.

It is the first time that the event is being held over two days.

Dixon said, on day one, the event will be be held at the Troy High School in south Trelawny starting at 9 a.m, while on Easter Monday it moves to the Hague Agricultural Showgrounds in north Trelawny starting at the same time.

Field celebration

The first day of the festival will feature a yam farmers' field celebration, a song, poetry and dance contest; and the 'Yam King and Queen' pageant.

"The celebrations will highlight a range of fun events depicting the culture and traditions of yam-farming interspersed with lots of food," Dixon said.

On Easter Monday, the event continues with a culinary yam competition showcasing professional chefs from hotels and resorts, as well as individuals and groups.

A 'Roots Village' will highlight Rastafarian delicacies made from yam and the holistic culture and lifestyle of the community.

There are also plans for a cultural concert, a best-dressed donkey parade and most importantly, vendors will be on hand with an array of yam, and delicacies made from the tuber to tease patrons' palates.