Afternoon on the Green brought hundreds to the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas Sunday, along with battling chefs, community booths, bands, a car show and an expanded kids’ area that helped raise funds for two special student scholarships.
Winners this year are Carrah Henderson, a senior at Charlotte Amalie High School, who plans to major in accounting, and K’Visha Johnlewis from Ivanna Eudora Kean, who is excited to begin her studies in criminal justice. The scholarships, named after longtime UVI board member Edward Thomas, will benefit both when they begin as freshmen at university in the fall.
“I’m so looking forward to starting my college experience,” Johnlewis said. “I have always wanted to pursue a career in forensics and I think UVI will lay a great foundation for that.”
It always takes about a year to plan the event, according to Afternoon on the Green Committee Chair Kyza Callwood, who said more than 100 cooks brought more than 100 dishes, filling tables with everything from pineapple tarts to chicken biryani. At the demonstration station, Chef Larry Nibbs also cooled down eventgoers with his new lemongrass iced tea, which he said complemented his salmon and penne, and shrimp alfredo dishes.
“Food definitely brings people together,” Sen. Marvin Blyden added as he also encouraged residents to try his stewed chicken under the big tent. “And I love to cook, connect with the community and support the university. This is such a great event for all those who participate with the goal of giving back.”
Along with the food tents, large crowds also gathered around the stage throughout the afternoon to take in big-name acts such as Shaw HP, cultural dance groups, St. Thomas Carnival Princess and Queen contestants, and UVI’s own Twirlettes. Dressed in their signature madras, the Mungo Niles Cultural Dancers also brought in the crowd for a quick heel-and-toe session, and surprised the crowd with some remixed quelbe, which they topped off with a mix of traditional quadrille and more modern dance moves.
“Afternoon on the Green is a magnet — it attracts people from across the community, our students and such an incredible range of chefs, so it’s such a special event in the Virgin Islands,” UVI President David Hall said. “Raising funds for our students is such a worthy cause, and what excites me is always being able to spotlight them and the wonderful programs that we have, along with new highlights every year — it’s just a joy to have this activity for our community.”
Top sponsors this year were Viya, Firstbank, the V.I. Council on the Arts and Haugland V.I.
