Mission of JIFAF ‘still the same’ in new location

The Jackson International Food and Arts Festival had an official celebration of the upcoming event last week at City Hall.

Coordinators Dr. Sandra Dee and Eduardo Morales were on hand to tell those in attendance about this year’s edition of the festival.

The major change is the location. It’s moving from Downtown to the Jackson Fairgrounds.

JIFAF had 88 vendors a year ago, but that number has grown to 144.

“When we first did this, we thought 2,000 people would be a lot,” Dee said during a press conference. “But last year we had 15,000 people come to the festival during a six-hour period.”

There will be 20 performers, which is a new JIFAF record also.

The children’s creative space that occupied an empty corner at an intersection in Downtown in past years will be inside this year in the Fairgrounds Arena.

The parade will have plenty of performers as well as the flags of all countries represented on display.

“I know the food is what a lot of people come for because you get to sample a lot of different cultures’ cuisines,” Morales said. “But the parade is the most important part for me because we get a chance to see every flag and every culture represented on full display for everyone here.”

West TN PBS will broadcast the parade live and will have it available for later broadcasts on its stations throughout West Tennessee.

“We really appreciate everyone who’s been so accepting of this event and the different cultures through the years,” Dee said. “Without that support, this event isn’t still here, and it’s here today because of the support of people like the mayors and the business community and the arts community of Jackson.”

JIFAF will be on Sept. 23 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission to the festival at the Fairgrounds is free.

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news