Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival Kicks Off
By: , March 2, 2025
Photo: Adrian Walker
Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill (left), joins Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, in welcoming patrons to the eighth Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival at Hope Gardens, Kingston, on Saturday (March 1).
Photo: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett second right), is presented with a token Managing Director, Mavis Bank Coffee Factory and former Senator, Norman Grant, during the official opening of the eighth annual Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival at its new venue in Hope Gardens, Kingston, on Saturday March 1). Sharing the moment are from left) Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, and Chair, Gastronomy Linkages Network, Nicola Madden-Greig.
Photo: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett right), Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, and Chair, Gastronomy Linkages Network, Nicola Madden-Greig second left), partake of a coffee beverage served Café Blue’s Quality Assurance Manager, Remone Meeks. Café Blue was one of some 60 vendors with product offerings during the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival’s official opening at Hope Gardens in Kingston on Saturday March 1).
Photo: Adrian Walker
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right), welcomes patrons to the eighth Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival at Hope Gardens, Kingston, on Saturday (March 1). He is joined by Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill.
Photo: Adrian Walker
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, shares pleasantries with Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr. Kasan Troupe (left), and Chair, Gastronomy Linkages Network, Nicola Madden-Greig, during the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival’s official opening at Hope Gardens, Kingston, on Saturday (March 1).The Full Story
The aroma of freshly brewed Blue Mountain Coffee filled the air at Hope Gardens in Kingston on Saturday (March 1), as Jamaica’s premier coffee festival returned for the eighth year.
The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival, previously staged in Newcastle, St. Andrew, was moved to the larger venue, allowing for an expanded celebration, with over 60 vendors offering a diverse array of coffee-inspired products and experiences.
Attendees were treated to unique coffee concoctions from local artisans and participants in the annual barista competition, which was won by defending champion, Rommell Bailey from Café Blue.
They were also captivated by cultural performances by the Charles Town Maroons and the Silver Birds Steel Orchestra, before being serenaded by the iconic duo of Tanya Stephens and Sanchez.
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, who declared the festival open, noted that Jamaica’s Blue Mountain Coffee deserves to be celebrated as it has given the country global notoriety.
“I have spent a little time… moving around, and almost everywhere I go, the first reference to anything agricultural about Jamaica is Blue Mountain Coffee,” he mused.
Mr. Bartlett said these moments bring him immense pride.
“I smile… and I smile because we have the best farmers in the world who have done marvellously well to create this great product called Blue Mountain Coffee,” he explained.
Mr. Bartlett’s commendation for the nation’s coffee farmers was echoed by Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, who joined the Tourism Minister in welcoming patrons to the festival.
Senator Hill said it is evident that the Blue Mountain Coffee brand continues to grow, not just globally, but also in Jamaica.
“[Do] you know how I judge how this thing is growing? Look at that [barista] competition. You see how many people are competing… and you know that the Blue Mountain Coffee brand is growing,” he surmised.
A barista prepares and serves coffee drinks, typically in a coffee shop or café.
Senator Hill underscored the importance of forging linkages to drive the coffee sector’s continued growth.
He noted that while the festival was spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining also played a role in the event.
Senator Hill added that all the Ministries have a part to play in ensuring the success of Jamaican coffee globally.
The annual Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival is organised by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).
The agency, through its Tourism Linkages Network (TLN), partners with key agricultural and tourism stakeholders to package and promote coffee as a tourism product that attracts visitors to Jamaica for the distinct purpose of discovering the island’s culinary and natural landscape.
While the festival marketplace is the highlight of the event for many, the Coffee Festival is a month-long experience.
Each weekend in March, persons can participate in the Festival’s Sip ‘n’ Shop promotion, which will allow patrons to partake in even more coffee delights and experiences at businesses islandwide.