Jamaica Land We Love Gala Presented by Jamaica 50 Celebration Inc. & Jamaican Canadian Association

On Aug 11, the Jamaica 50 Celebration Inc. & Jamaican Canadian Association held the Jamaica Land We Love Gala at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The gala Celebrated the Historic Milestone of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of independence with proceeds going to the Jamaica Canadian Association Legacy Endowment Fund for youth education.

At the entrance, guests were given an envelope with 5 drink tickets and a ballot to vote for their favourite bartender of the night. The bartender with the most votes will be the winner of the Peoples Choice Bartender for the Appleton Jamaica Rum Bar Tenders Challenge. The venue was set up with 2 photo booths welcoming  the attendees and a Appleton Estate red carpet aisle connected to the auction/reception room. We felt like stars as we walked down the red carpet, other guests also had fun posing and taking pictures on it.

At the reception room, we enjoyed sampling all kinds of Jamaican food and Appleton cocktails. Our attention were quickly drawn to the bartender with flames in his hands. Using the ‘sugar and flame’ method, he prepared ‘The Filthy Pirate’ with 1/2 Appleton Reserve, 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse and garnished with orange zest. We also loved the ‘Port Royal Shrub’ prepared with 1 1/2 oz Appleton v/x, 1/2 oz Rosemary pineapple shrub, 2 dashes Angostura orange bitters, 2 oz red stripe beer, 1/2 oz tropical vermouth, garnished with pinch jerk seasoning and shaken, strained over ice. (Scroll to the bottom for more pictures)

‘The Filthy Pirate’

Jamaica Land We Love Gala- ‘The Filthy Pirate’

After the cocktail reception, guests marched into the dining room to enjoy a nice sit-down dinner accompanied by live music. We spotted fashion designers Greta Constantine and politician Dalton McGuinty.

Dalton McGuinty @ Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Our favourite outfits for the night…

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

wearing: BCBG

Dalton McGuinty @ Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Dalton McGuinty @ Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

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Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

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Jamaica Land We Love Gala ‘The Filthy Pirate’

Jamaica Land We Love Gala- ‘The Filthy Pirate’

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

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Jamaica Land We Love Gala

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Jamaica Land We Love Gala

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Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

wearing: (Right) Vintage

wearing: (Right) Ellen Tracy

wearing: (Middle) Melanie Lyne, (Right) Marco Donateli

Jamaica Land We Love Gala

For more information please visit: http:// jamaica50.ca/