From front to back, the Rudolph Schulterbrant Agriculture Fair Grounds on St. Croix were packed Saturday and Sunday with just about everything imaginable – and, with the focus this year placed on strictly locally made and homegrown products, the hundreds of attendees at AgriFest 2023 got a good sampling of food cooked, drinks brewed, music produced, clothing designed, and crafts made right in the territory.
This year’s event, which runs through Monday, honored Willard John, a master moko jumbie – among other things – who has continued to keep the tradition alive. John’s mokos, Guardians of Culture, were a permanent fixture across the fairgrounds, not only performing, but taking photos with attendees. John said the group will also be there Monday, starting around 2 p.m.
The 2023 Farmers’ Market was named in honor of Edna Santiago, who has participated in AgriFest since 1997. The booths packing the pavilion provide a wide and abundant variety of plants, flowers, produce, honey, jams and jellies, among other things. Click the video below for a quick tour.
Music from local bands, including headliner VIO International, permeated each space, which also included spotlight performances by the Rising Stars Youth Steel Pan Orchestra near the Food Pavilion, and the 73rd Army Band, which drew in a crowd Saturday morning as they marched around.
Schools, adult learners and youth organizations displayed their accomplishments as AgriFest judges made their way through the fairgrounds.
The fair continues Monday, and there’s still plenty to see, according to Senate President Novelle Francis and Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory, who shared more about the significance of the fair, their favorite parts and how they plan to focus in the coming months on supporting agriculture and food production efforts on the ground.
