Nov 20, 2023 | Community Events, Island News
The unofficial start of the holiday season on St. Croix begins with Christiansted Holiday Jump Up. To “jump up” means to dance with jubilation, and guests should expect to fully commit to doing this and much more at this popular event! A festival-like block party, Christiansted Holiday Jump Up is when the streets of downtown Christiansted are blocked off to vehicular traffic to allow everyone to “jump up” and enjoy an evening of excitement and togetherness at this unique and cultural experience. Christiansted Holiday Jump Up is hosted by Christiansted Retail & Restaurant Association (CRRA), a community organization comprised of downtown area businesses that focuses its efforts on the needs of the Christiansted community. Held four times a year on a Friday night, the last Jump Up of the year typically takes place the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Locals, residents, and visitors flood the streets to enjoy live street performances from some of the island’s most cherished groups. Moko Jumbies, the infamous cultural icon of the U.S. Virgin Islands, make their esteemed appearance with Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbies. A staple in our Virgin Islands culture for centuries, it is said that they ward off evil spirits and protect those around them from any oncoming danger. This is why it is considered a blessing to be in their presence. Enjoy live music at every turn with the sweet sounds of pan and iron steel pan groups, smooth jazz sounds, and melodic tunes from musical groups that cover genres ranging from R&B, calypso, soca, and pop. Street vendors set up their tables throughout downtown Christiansted serving local foods and drinks and selling jewelry, arts and crafts, and much more. Christiansted Holiday Jump Up is the perfect time to get a jump start on holiday shopping! As a bonus, Christiansted businesses and restaurants will extend their hours to 9pm to accommodate the crowds and offer several specials in celebration of the event.
The event takes place four times a year. Upcoming dates are November 24, 2023, and Feb. 14, May 5 and July 7, 2024. The biggest Jump Up is held in February on Valentine’s Day.
Come out and enjoy a night on the town with good food, family, and friends!
Written by Anquanette Gaspard agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com
Jul 20, 2023 | Community Events
The 27th annual Mango Melee Tropical Fruit and Mango Festival was held in at the St. George Village Botanical Garden in St Croix on July 9, 2023. This popular family-friendly event offers kids activities, educational workshops, food competitions, tropical fruit demonstrations and tastings, and the ever-popular Mango Eating Contests. Visitors enjoy local food and drinks, arts and craft vendors, cultural dance performances, Moko Jumbies, music and more throughout the day. As the VI Consortium reported, Yasmine Tuitt, 14, defended her title and emerged as the winner of the Mango Eating Competition for the second consecutive year at the 27th annual Mango Melee. 9-year-old Anita Thomas won the Mango Eating Competition in the children category. Congratulations!
Many local vendors also had tables selling mango and tropical fruit delicacies and products. It is a great annual event that brings the community together!
The St. Croix Source has some great photos, check it out here.
Jul 20, 2023 | Community Events
July 3rd of this year is the 175th celebration of USVI’s Emancipation Day, history. It was a week long commemoration to honor the heritage of the Virgin Islands and celebrate the hard-won freedom of its people. Events included a parade, concerts, a freedom walk, panel discussions and more. We are excited to see a nationally published publication like Essence.com write wonderful article about the commemoration events.
St. Croix Source also has an article about the events starting with July 3, 2023 in the Fort to Fort Freedom walk, a Libation and Calling the Names of the Ancestors Ceremony, and with music and fireworks after dark. In between, there were music, art shows, Quadrille dancing and a Quelbe tramp, just to name a few highlights.
Feb 15, 2023 | Community Events, Island News
St. Croix’s ever popular Agriculture and Food Fair, also known as Agrifest, has returned with its 51st installment and back to its former glory! Since 1971, this three-day agricultural festival has attracted attendees from all over the world to the island to experience everything rooted in agriculture from locally grown fruits and vegetables to livestock, arts and crafts and local cuisine. Agrifest has returned to its original February dates which occur over President’s Day weekend. In prior years, devastating hurricanes and the recent global pandemic resulted in the event being postponed to Memorial Day weekend. The 2023 Agrifest will take place from Saturday, February 18th through Monday, February 20th at the Rudolph Shulterbrandt Agricultural Complex in Estate Lower Love. This year’s theme is “Agriculture: Growing Today for Tomorrow…You, Me, All Ah We… in 2023.” As food security becomes an important topic withing the Virgin Islands community, the theme shines a light on our need to focus on food sovereignty for locals and residents of the territory.
The rich, cultural experiences of St. Croix’s AgriFest are centered around the four F’s: food, fun, family and friends. Upon entry onto the fairgrounds, a myriad of captivating sights and invigorating smells welcome you with spirited delight. On the west side of the fairgrounds in the main exhibition hall is where the farmers market is held. This is where attendees will see an assortment of fruits, vegetables and spices with an assortment of plants on display and many available for sale. Several exhibits sponsored by local schools, youth groups, the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture, and the US Department of Agriculture can also be found on display.
There is no shortage of fun activities for Agrifest-goers. The livestock exhibits feature goats, chickens, rabbits and peacocks. Stop in at the petting zoo for an up-close-and-personal time with island wildlife, have your little one ride a donkey or enjoy one of the carnival rides for an extra dose of fun. Give your ears a treat with the sweet-sounding tunes from local musicians performing throughout the day and learn something new at any of the informational booths throughout the fairgrounds educating attendees on a variety of agriculture-focused topics.
“This is a true Virgin Islands reunion,” said U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture Commissioner Positive T.A. Nelson. “This is where you see it all – our traditions, our food, and our people.” Get your fill of local delicacies: one-pot dishes like kalalloo, red peas soup and crab & rice, sweet treats such as gooseberry and tamarind stews, tamarind balls, vienna cake and butter cookies and hearty plates of roast pork, stew chicken and conch in butter sauce with the crucial Crucian trimmings of season rice, baked macaroni and cheese, coleslaw and potato stuffing. Pair your meal with a tall glass of tamarind juice, bush tea lemonade, ginger beer, peanut punch or passion fruit juice. Come out and celebrate the 51st annual VI Agrifest from February 18th to February 20th. Admission is $6 Adults, $5 Seniors, $4 Children 12 and under; Three days passes are available for $12 Adults, $10 Seniors, $8 Children 12 and under. The fair will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit https://viagrifest.org.
Article written by Anquanette Gaspard (agaspard@cruzanfoodie.com) for Coldwell Banker, St. Croix Realty
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