Two Jamaican women from St. Ann, who attended the same high school but never knew each other, have reunited thousands of miles from home to create something neither initially set out to build: a growing network connecting Caribbean people in Portugal.
Nicole Barrett and Latoya Hamilton both attended St. Hilda’s High School before migrating to the United States as teenagers. After spending nearly three decades living and working in America, they independently made Portugal their new home.
It wasn’t until they met at a Jamaican dinner in Portugal that they discovered their shared history. Their conversations about Jamaica, life abroad, food, wine and the challenge of finding other Caribbean people eventually gave rise to Portugal Caribbean Massive, a cultural and social network, and the country’s first Jerk & Wine Festival.
The inaugural event, held on June 13th, 2026, in Costa da Caparica, just outside Lisbon, sold out, attracting nearly 200 people for a celebration that paired traditional Jamaican cuisine with Portuguese wines, music and cultural exchange.
But for the two founders, the festival represents something bigger: an opportunity to connect Caribbean people living in Portugal while introducing their cultures to a wider audience.
An Unexpected Connection
Nicole and Latoya first met at a Jamaican dinner in Portugal, where they discovered they had attended St. Hilda’s High School in St. Ann at the same time, despite never knowing each other.
Nicole grew up in Bamboo, while Latoya hails from Madras. Both migrated to the United States as teenagers, spending nearly three decades there.
Nicole built a career in travel and hospitality, working with major hotel brands and tourism organisations. She now consults with travel and wine experience brands and operates her lifestyle business, The Saudade Life. Latoya’s background is in marketing and project management, having worked with organisations including NYC & Company, ESPN and Nickelodeon.
The flexibility to work remotely and the prospect of a slower pace of life drew both women to Portugal. While neither expected to find a large Caribbean community, they soon discovered that one existed, though its members were not always connected. Having spent nearly three decades in the United States, where Caribbean food, music and cultural events were readily accessible, they recognised an opportunity to bring people together.
Their shared experiences and conversations about Jamaica, Portugal and life abroad eventually inspired them to create something of their own.
“We didn’t sit down with a plan to build a festival and a community. We were two Jamaicans connecting over shared experiences, noticing something we were missing, and imagining what we could do about it.”
Finding the Caribbean in Portugal
Portugal may not immediately come to mind as a destination with a Caribbean diaspora, but Nicole and Latoya found people with roots across several Caribbean islands and territories, many of whom had yet to connect with one another.
Through Portugal Caribbean Massive, they have connected with people from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Haiti, among others. Most are based in Lisbon and surrounding areas, including Caribbean-born residents and second-generation diaspora members, many of whom arrived via the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom.
While Jamaican culture already had a presence in Portugal through initiatives such as the Portuguese-founded Bashment Party, Nicole and Latoya saw a need for a network specifically connecting Caribbean people.
“The simplest answer is that we were looking for each other,” they explained.
They established Portugal Caribbean Massive as a cultural and social network to bring people together, celebrate their shared heritage and introduce Caribbean cultures to Portuguese audiences. Although Jamaican-founded, the initiative embraces the wider Caribbean through cultural gatherings, themed nights and opportunities for creatives and entrepreneurs.
As the community began taking shape, their shared love of Jamaican food and Portuguese wine inspired an idea for a larger cultural gathering: the Jerk & Wine Festival.
Jerk and Wine Festival Portugal
The inaugural Jerk & Wine Festival took place on June 13th, 2026, in the coastal town of Costa da Caparica, just outside Lisbon. The event sold out, attracting nearly 200 guests and generating a waiting list.
The festival brought together two culinary traditions, pairing Jamaican jerk with Portuguese wines from regions including Alentejo, the Douro Valley and Vinho Verde.
Guests enjoyed jerk chicken, jerk pork and escovitch fish, accompanied by Jamaican favourites such as festival, plantain, roasted corn and steamed cabbage. Wine curator Bruno Gomes and partner Rocim Wines helped shape the wine experience, while a tasting featuring rum from Madeira added another Portuguese element.
Music and entertainment were also central to the occasion. DJ Xavier BLK provided the soundtrack, Dynamic Legends brought MCing and dancing, and saxophonist Kenny Caetano delivered live music.
For many Portuguese attendees, the festival was their first introduction to Jamaican jerk and, in some cases, Jamaican cuisine altogether. The smoking and grilling techniques attracted curiosity, as did the idea of pairing the distinctive flavours of jerk with Portuguese wines.
Portugal’s piri-piri chicken provided a familiar point of reference. Although its seasoning and preparation differ from Jamaican jerk, the dish sparked conversations about the two countries’ culinary traditions.
According to Nicole and Latoya, guests were interested not only in the food but also in Jamaica, the history of jerk and the experiences of Caribbean people living in Portugal.
“At some point, it stopped feeling like we were introducing people to Jamaican culture and started feeling like everyone was simply participating in it,” they recalled.
Although Jamaican food and music formed the foundation of the inaugural festival, it also brought together Caribbean diaspora members, Portuguese attendees and other international guests, reflecting the wider cultural connections the founders hope to build through Portugal Caribbean Massive.
Building Beyond the Festival
Following the success of the inaugural Jerk & Wine Festival, Nicole and Latoya are looking to expand both the event and the reach of Portugal Caribbean Massive.
Their longer-term vision is to create a network where Caribbean residents and visitors can discover and support Caribbean businesses, creatives and entrepreneurs, while fostering cultural exchange between Portugal and the wider Caribbean.
“We want Portugal Caribbean Massive to become a place where Caribbean people know they can find one another, whether they live in Portugal or are just visiting,” the founders explained.
In the meantime, the Jerk & Wine Festival is set to return with a special Holiday Edition on December 12th, 2026, in Lisbon, celebrating Jamaican Christmas food, music and traditions.
A larger festival is also planned for early summer 2027, with expanded wine experiences, more opportunities for vendors and greater representation from across the Caribbean.
For Nicole and Latoya, what began as a chance connection between two Jamaicans from St. Ann has grown into an initiative bringing people from across the Caribbean together, thousands of miles from home.
