WESTERN BUREAU:

A traditional 'Farm Jam', a haunted 300-year-old great house and a two-day yam festival celebrating the richness that distinguishes the parish of Trelawny are just a few of the local attractions that Jamaicans can sample this Easter weekend.

This morning, locals visiting Trelawny's marquee attraction, 'Outameni Experience', can boast of being the first to hear the voices of the ghosts that haunt the historical Georgian building. For the last two years that building has been out of bounds to patrons.

Just hearing the voices of those long gone is not enough for the creative film-maker, Lennie Little-White, and his team.

Enticing locals with an irresistible offer of free entrance to children under five years old (accompanied by their parents), Outameni says it is giving discounts of up to $500 per person for groups of 20 and more, while people travelling in threes and fours are entitled to a reduction of between $50 and $150.

In the unspoiled Cockpit area of the same parish, the Stewart family will open their 25-acre farm gates for locals to journey into the 18th century during their annual 'Farm Jam' at Spring Gardens.

Locals will be exposed to 15 acres of coffee, interspersed with 10 acres of banana, plantains, coconuts and peppers, while domino lovers can test their skills in a rustic atmosphere.

A few miles from Spring Gardens, the district of Troy comes alive with the return of the two-day Trelawny Yam Festival, commencing with the much-anticipated Farmers Field celebration, a song, poetry and dance contest and Yam King and Queen Pageant highlighting the day's activities.

On Sunday, the yam lovers take a break, returning Easter Monday to the Hague Agricultural Showgrounds for a culinary expedition through the hands of the island's top chefs. Tagged 'One family, one parish, one festival', an innovatively presented yam market will showcase a star-studded line-up of yam, puddings, beer, fruit cake, pizza, salads, croquette and wines..

A number of the regular tourist attractions are also laying out the red carpet for the locals this weekend.

Chukka Caribbean Adventures, one of the wildest and most fun-filled excursions for people who know how to enjoy life to its fullest, is offering a 10 per cent discount to locals on all tours this Easter. The special rate applies until Sunday.

Over on the south coast, Charles Swaby is offering a 50 per cent discount to all Jamaicans who choose to go boating on the island's most beautiful river - the Black River.

"This is the only place in Jamaica that you can cruise in luxurious boats, watch the crocodiles, wetland vegetation and many different species of bird," boasted Swaby.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com