Ag Fair was place to be for fun, food and culture |

ST. CROIX — The Agriculture and Food items Good was the spot to be this weekend as thousands from in the vicinity of and significantly turned out for a little bit of enjoyment, foods, and society.

The three-working day celebration, in its 50th calendar year, kicked off Saturday underneath the concept “Agriculture: A Golden Option to Grow” and will end at 6 tonight when gates to the fairgrounds in Estate Reduce Really like near.

On Saturday, with the colorful flags and pinwheels along the perimeter of the fairgrounds welcoming citizens and site visitors alike, a lot of lined up early in anticipation of having fun with native food and drinks, getting items and savoring the enjoyment.

Traffic slowed to a crawl on Queen Mary Highway as parking fields on either facet of the fairgrounds filled up promptly. As soon as inside, quite a few built a beeline to the Foodstuff Pavilion, then established up temporary stakes in the shade to get pleasure from their culinary finds.

Visiting sellers regionwide, together with from the British Virgin Islands, joined local types in attractive fairgoers to acquire quite a few of the goods and delicious foodstuff that included indigenous meals and beverages, pastries, locally-built candies, art performs, crafts, home furnishings, woodwork, garments, shoes, leather merchandise, hats, toys, jewellery, flags, make, plants, incense, oils and CDs amid many others.

Zantia Perdomo was less than a lined region in the vicinity of the eastern good entrance waiting around for her children as she sipped on chilly, homemade ginger beer. Close by ended up two reusable browsing baggage made up of fruit stews, sugar cake, seasoning peppers and two knitted hats she purchased from neighborhood sellers.

“The kids are in the Coney Island and they are possessing a very good time,” she reported. “I acquired all the matters that I required to get and now I’ll permit them have fun for a several several hours right before we go home.”

Agriculture Commissioner Constructive Nelson, all through remarks at the opening ceremony, mentioned he sees the fair as an prospect for food stuff sustainability and urged a lot more help for farmers.

This yr the crowd on Saturday and Sunday appeared smaller than common, but nonetheless far better than anticipated. The truthful is generally held in February, but owing to the day transform competed with carnivals in Atlanta and Orlando.

Selena Sylvester welcomed the three-day honest.

“I’m seriously just happy that they ended up equipped to make it take place and I hope we do not see also substantially of a spike in the COVID numbers. I think every person is hoping to keep safe and sound and have a great time,” she said. “I’ve often appear to the good and get my refreshing thyme and stuff and then just chill for the working day, it feels truly good to be out like this yet again.”

Organizers named the fairgrounds posthumously in honor of Kofi Boateng, a College of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Company team and former seller. Dignitaries and fair organizers heaped praises on Boateng and other range of honorees for their excellent work and perseverance to the fair. In addition to trophies and a stipend from the Good board, Crop Farmer of the Calendar year Badeau Chrisphonte and Livestock Farmer of the Calendar year Alphonso James ended up presented with checks from the Virgin Islands Day by day Information.

After the fair was officially opened, very long traces jammed the Food stuff Pavilion as scores of men and women waited for plates of their favourite cuisine.

Sellers like Anthony Kiture, and quite a few other folks heaped crucian favorites like “roast pork,” “stew goat,” fried fish, and conch in butter sauce into Styrofoam containers for consumers. Others grabbed finger meals like pates, benye and Johnny cakes, or sipped on handmade drinks together with lemonade and sorrel.

William Monoghan took compact bites of his beef pate as he waited in line for a further — a seafood pate from the Moravian Church’s booth.

“I’m a serious foodie and this to me is like heaven,” he mentioned. “I was not even actually hungry when I came in, but everything smells so very good, I believe I’ll just have lunch and supper in this article all weekend.”

The honest opens these days for its remaining working day from 9 a.m. to 6 tonight. Admission is $6 for grown ups, $5 for senior citizens and $4 for small children beneath 12.