Zion performs at the Marley Gras Festival at Central City Barbecue on Saturday. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
The annual Marley Gras festival took place at Central City BBQ on Saturday, Feb. 9. The festival featured live music, Jamaican food, handmade crafts, as well as a pepper-eating competition and a jerk-chicken cook-off. The celebration of the connections between New Orleans and Caribbean culture is held during Carnival in honor of reggae pioneer Bob Marley’s Feb. 6 birthday.
Chelsea Perkins, left, and Karleigh Watson dance with hoola hoops at the Marley Gras Festival. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Johnny’s Jamaican Grill was one of the nearly 20 vendors at the festival celebrating jerk chicken and all things Jamaican. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
K.O.B. brass band performs on the festival’s main stage outside Central City BBQ. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Naija Imports sells jewelry the festival, which also featured handmade crafts. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Aaron Greathouse dances with the Kings of Brass brass band. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Kwesi Jordan, chef at Island Paradise, cooks up some chicken. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
LaDonte Lotts performs Saturday with Game Ova Skip and the Game Ova Crew. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Dorian Francis pours chili powder on McKensie Kitchener’s pepper during the Scotch Bonnet Pepper Eating Competition. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
McKensie Kitchener celebrates her second victory in the Scotch Bonnet Pepper Eating Competition. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Kwesi Jordan of Island Paradise accepts his award for the People’s Choice in the jerked chicken competition. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Queen Trini Lisa and crew win the Best Jerk Chicken award from the celebrity judges. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Mardi Gras Indians perform with the K.O.B. brass band. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
DJ Jubilee performs on the inside stage at the Central City BBQ. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Casme Barnes performs with her group on the main stage at the Marley Gras Festival. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
LaDonte Lotts, center, performs with Game Ova Skip and the Game Ova Crew. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
Choppa, left, performs “Choppa Style” with Game Ova Skip and the Game Ova Crew. (Zach Brien, UptownMessenger.com)
