Produce and livestock and a wide variety of arts and crafts will be there for the browsing at the St. Thomas/St. John Agriculture and Food Fair, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on the Reichhold Center for the Arts grounds on St. Thomas. This year’s theme is "Celebrating our 30th – Investing in Nutrition and Good Health."
The University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service’s 4-H Program will conduct a food drive on both days. Attendees are encouraged to bring canned and dried food items to contribute. Food collected will be donated to Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army.
Along with the usual delights of fresh produce, plants, and arts and crafts, food will be on sale. This year contestants are still being sought for the best tasting maubi and sweet bread competitions.
For the second time, a coal pot lighting contest is planned to present an entertaining cultural and historical perspective, while in another competition young people will be invited to show their prowess at current technology in a texting contest.
Informational displays on composting, workshops and tree grafting demonstrations are also planned. A livestock area – always a big hit with young and old alike – will feature some of the territory’s prized and unique animals.
DJ Ubba, 4th Dimension Gospel Band and Ah We Band will provide music. Dancing performances by the St. Thomas Heritage Dancers and the Holy Family Cultural Dancers will entertain the throngs.
Children’s games will be held daily from 12:30 to 5 p.m.
Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children under 12.
The opening ceremony of the fair, set for 2 p.m. Saturday, will be emceed by UVI alumnus and local radio personality Sheldon Turnbull. Agriculture Commissioner Louis Petersen Jr. and UVI President David Hall will speak during the ceremony.
The St. Thomas/St. John Agriculture and Food Fair is sponsored by the UVI Cooperative Extension Service and the V.I. Department of Agriculture, with support from Fintrac.
For more information contact the CES office at (340) 693-1080. For the latest updates, check out the 2013 Ag and Food Fair entries on the UVICES Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/uvices.
