🌶️🥁 Boston's spiciest weekend

🌴🔥The 13th annual Boston JerkFest is happening July 10–12 at the Harvard Athletic Complex and, with less than a month to go, it’s time to get excited. Named Boston's Best Food Festival by Boston Magazine, the credentials are there and the jerk chicken will be too.

👀 What's on tap today:

Up First…

🌶️ Friday’s programming runs 7–10 p.m. (VIP gets in at 6 p.m.) and it is exactly the Friday vibe you’re hoping for: 50+ alcoholic products to taste including Caribbean cocktails, craft beer, cider, and mead, jerk bites from local vendors, and DJs keeping the beats going all night. Plus, catch a live performance from Nailah Blackman, known as the princess of soca. JerkFest is also a fundraiser for Sustainable Food and Culture, so you can give back with every sip, bite, and dance move.

Come ready to lime and jam. Our recommendation? Come Friday if you’re looking to get your weekday stress out. Bring friends and PARTY to a backdrop of music, flavors, and sounds you’ll want to re-live again and again. Plus: B-Side Members receive $5 off to Friday’s party. See you there!

🍗 Saturday at JerkFest is the foodie’s paradise. From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., the Harvard Athletic Complex will be the temporary home for a Jerk cook-off, a Seafood Throwdown, sustainable chef demos, live reggae, DJ sets, arts and craft vendors, a VIP Reggae Lounge, a Kids & Culture Zone, and yes, a Reggae Bar with rum punch.

Show up hungry and stay longer than planned, or leave with a new favorite dish you didn't see coming. If you’re driving, parking is $15/car on Saturday only — grab your pass in advance along with your tickets! Plus: B-Side Members receive $5 off Saturday tickets, too. See you there!

⚽ Sunday's Community Soccer Fest (12–5 p.m.) was added to the JerkFest lineup this year in celebration of the World Cup, and it's free for all attendees — open to everyone, on Harvard's professional soccer field, with food, culture, and outdoor activities in a low-key, family-friendly setting.

Think of Sunday’s soccer games as the chill cool-down lap after a very full weekend. Bring friends, bring kids, bring whoever skipped Friday and Saturday (they'll regret it, but you can be gracious). Details are still coming, so stay tuned!

🏆 Fun fact: Boston JerkFest has been running for 13 years. With over a decade of experience under their belts, the JerkFest team hits the nail on the head year after year. The event has been recognized by Boston Magazine, Zagat, and Jamaicans.com, which is a SOLID hat trick in our opinion. 

— written by Claire Nicholas (The editorial team was not involved in the creation of this B-Side Extra Edition)

🌴 Thanks for reading! BRB, we’re hitting our nearest Caribbean spot because our mouths are watering …

💜 Special shoutout to today's sponsor, Boston JerkFest, for supporting B-Side and giving Boston a reason to spend an entire weekend outside with our favorite flavors and friends.