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Agrifest Set to Begin Saturday

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The gates will open Saturday for the V.I. Agriculture and Food Fair, or Agrifest 2014, and up to 25,000 people are expected to attend what some call “the signature event on St. Croix.”

This is the 43rd year for the three-day fair that highlights the agriculture, food and culture of the Virgin Islands, and there is something for everyone, said Clarice Clarke, public information specialist for the University of the Virgin Islands.

“There will be lots of action for the whole family – a lot of activities,” she said.

Over the weekend there will be more than two dozen bands performing, 54 farmers displaying produce and products, around 80 food and beverage vendors, and other merchants selling arts and crafts. Every available booth has been rented and Clarke said people are still calling for space.

Saturday at 10 a.m., the Agrifest 2014 opening ceremonies will kick off in the tent in the center of the fairground. Events will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. all three days.

Last year more than 22,000 men, women and children attended the fair and Clarke said she expects 25,000 this year, based on cruise ship arrivals all weekend and transportation that is being arranged by V.I. Tourism. She said she has had many emails and comments throughout the year from people who “had a blast” at a previous Agrifest and are coming back this year.

Clarke said highlighted activities this year include the hat parade and competition after opening ceremony Saturday. Contestants are encouraged to follow the overall Agrifest theme “Agriculture: We’ve always been green.” There will be cash prizes and tickets from Seaborne Airlines.

Another featured activity at this Ag Fair, as it is commonly called, is a cooking contest, open to the public to determine who makes the best dumb bread. There is no entry fee and cash prizes will be awarded at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Entries will be accepted between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Cuisine is a big part of the fair and this year refreshment booths will offer traditional foods – kallaloo, roast goat and pork, chicken legs, crab and rice, candies, sweets and local drinks. There will be food demonstrations all three days, including how to make coconut tarts, johnny cake and a “bush” talk by Olasee Davis, of the UVI Extension Service.

Another important part of the fair is fresh produce and fruit – everything from mountains of tomatoes to stacks of sugar cane. Clarke said this year farmers will travel from Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Grenada, Guyana, Nevis and Antigua with their goods for sale. This is the first in several years that representatives from Dominica have been able to make the trip, she said.

Activities and competitions for children are a big part of Agrifest and most of the schools participate in one or more of the events.

One of the favorites is the Olympics, a team competition on Sunday that includes an agility course, goat scramble, pigeon pea shucking, sugar cane peeling and a farmers’ clothes relay.

Other group youth competitions include decorating hay bales, a shoebox float contest and a surprise event, according to Sarah Dahl-Smith, director of youth activities and 4-H extension agent. For the CANimal Caper recycled cans are formed to look like farm animals in an outdoor art competition. Cash prizes are awarded.

Many schools will set up large, complex exhibits in the farmers market building following the “green” theme and judges will award prizes on Friday.

“The education exhibitions are always the highlight. I like the exhibits because people see the aptitude of our kids,” Dahl-Smith said.

School children can also participate in poster, essay and poetry contests.

On the east side of the fairgrounds, the Homestead House will feature artifacts on display and handmade fisherman’s baskets for sale.

In the same area, an activity center for small children will allow parents to catch a breath while the kids play.

Agrifest 2014 will be located in the center of the island at the sprawling Rudolph Schulterbrandt Agriculture Complex. For the event, the complex will be renamed the Oscar E. Henry Memorial Agriculture Fairgrounds.

Several other buildings will be renamed for the weekend to honor people tied to agriculture, including the Edith Matthew Food Pavilion, the Violet Drew Farmers Market and the John “Johnny” Tranberg Livestock Pavilion.

The UVI Cooperative Extension Service and the V.I. Agriculture Department are the host agencies and the V.I. Tourism Department is the major contributing sponsor, Clarke said. Sponsors also include Innovative Companies, V.I. Lottery and Orbitel LLC.

Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children. Weekend tickets are available: $12 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and $6 for children under the age of 12.

Schedules and information on all of the events can be found at www.viagrifest.org.

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