Thousands flock to Portuguese food fair

Tuesday 26 August 2014

Jersey's annual Portuguese food fair has been hailed a brilliant success by organisers, with thousands flocking to the Waterfront over the long weekend.

The fair showcases Portuguese and Madeiran food, music and dancing. Visitors have been enjoying traditional espetadas and other cuisine with twelve stalls to choose from, and organisers say this could be the best attended fair yet.

One of the organisers, Jason Maindonald, said the Portuguese food fair has always been well attended by the Jersey community, not just the Portuguese. "It’s been going about 20 years, but for the last four years we’ve been running it at the Waterfront. Constable Simon Crowcroft and Deputy Rondel were instrumental in bringing it here. The only unfortunate thing is that we didn’t get any funding from tourism this year.

"Tourism is about ensuring people who come to Jersey have a good time. If you come here and you go back and say well all you can do is go for a walk and eat black butter then that’s not great, we have to offer things to do in Jersey, put on events. We know of around 250 people from the UK and Guernsey who have come here to join us."

On Saturday night organisers estimated around 7,000 people attended in the evening and Sunday night also saw a full arena. The event carries on until Tuesday and ends with a fireworks display at 10.15pm.

There are twelve food stalls, along with a shop selling Madeiran and Portuguese arts and crafts, and plenty of entertainment. Part of the Battle fun fair has also stayed on for the event.