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Frangipani and Palms highlight garden show

Gallows Point Resort will be among the exhibitors at this weekend’s St. John Flower and Garden Show at the Marketplace. Gus Textrum,
representing the resort, will be on hand to distribute free frangipani
cuttings and Christmas Palm seedlings. He’ll be joined by two
landscapers selling plants and flowers, including Alfredo of St. John and ABC Nursery of St. Thomas.  The third annual garden show will also feature Gail Vande Bogurt of Maho Bay Clay Works selling ceramics and sculptures for gardens.  Starfish Market will have fresh pumpkins for sale and members of the Artists Association of St. John will be painting pumpkins Friday and auctioning them on Saturday.

Hiking trails get attention

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The Student Conservation Association and the Friends of the VI National Park
teamed to work with 10 young people who spent a month on island paying
attention to some overgrown trails in the Park.  Brush was cleared,
water bars installed, trails rebuilt in parts of Cinnamon Bay, Reef
Bay
, Ram Head and Caneel Hill.  Jeffrey Glenn, a co-leader of the crew, told the St. John Source
there was a lot of needed work.  "We did everything from re-vegetation
to repair eroded areas to construction of stone stairs," he said.  A
St. Thomas resident was part of the group.  She was Henrietta Alexander.
The 17-year-old high school student explained to the Source, "I just
like helping the environment because I want to study environmental
science."

Celebration heats up for July 4th

Celebration Village opened in the parking lot across from the post office on Wednesday.  Named this year in honor of Nathalie Thomas, the Festival and Cultural Organization’s
treasurer, "Thomasville" will have an opening ceremony featuring the
Love City Pan Dragons.  The Jam Band will follow, playing until the wee
hours, the St. John Source reported.  Generally, bands are expected to
play inn the Village daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On Thursday, the children’s village was scheduled to open, sponsored by the St. John Community Foundation.   Chairman Lonnie Willis told the Source the village will feature games, face painting, ball toss., frog toss, hot wheel racing and darts.

July 4th will begin with the annual J’Ouvert parade through the
streets of Cruz Bay, beginning at 4 a.m.  Fireworks over Cruz Bay at 9
p.m. will be followed entertainment from Cool Session and Traffik,
again into the "wee" hours.  Celebration Village will close at 1:30 a.m.

Busy season for weddings

Memorial Day weekend is primetime for St. John weddings.  One marriage planner on island has been conducted three ceremonies a day.

Jacqueline Johnson, travel director for Conde Nast Bridal Group, told a St. Croix business meeting weddings are good business.  Live music, flowers, transportation for a bridal party of a dozen or more, a welcome cocktail party, rehearsal dinner and reception — "It’s a gold mine," she said.

Erica Hebert, a wedding consultant on St. Thomas, agreed, telling the Virgin Islands Daily News, "May used to be dead.   Now it’s sizzling."  Steve Bornn, marketing director for the V.I. Tourism Department, said weddings are also an opportunity for repeat business. "If they have a good wedding, they are going to talk about it," he said, according to the Daily News. Couples return for anniversaries, and bring their kids and friends, he said.

Beach to Beach Swim

Swimdude6_1Friends of the V.I. National Park will host its third annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim. The race consists of three tests: a short course from Maho to Cinnamon, about 1 mile; an intermediate course from Maho to Trunk Bay, about 2-1/4 miles; and, a long course from Maho to Hawksnest, about 3-1/2 miles.

Sponsors include Alfredo’s Landscaping and Mongoose Junction.  The race will begin at about 8am.  There will be an after-race BBQ at Oppenheimer Beach at Noon.  Swimmers and everyone else are invited.  Details on the event are here.

Earth Day events

Friends of Virgin Islands National Park is co-sponsoring Earth Day 2006 activities beginning with an Environmental Fair, Friday April 21st from 9:00am-2:00pm at the National Park Ball Field in Cruz Bay.   There will be recycling demonstrations, science exhibits, fun eco-activities, kids games, environmental story time, and a petting zoo.  Kids will also get to participate in a simulated archaeological dig, take part in a gardening workshop, and learn about coral reefs and safe fishing techniques. Friday’s Earth Day Fair will be followed by beach and trail cleanups on Saturday.

Island dog show set

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The 6th annual Wagapalooza has been scheduled for Saturday, May 13th.  For the first time, the event will be held at night  "With Waga in the evening, we hope to attract more families and more dogs.  It will be cooler," explained Nancy Louis, who’s organizing the show to benefit the Animal Care Center of St. John. "We are looking for those perfect coconut retrievers with win the much coveted prizes of ‘Best Island Dog’, "Best trick’, and "Most Look a Like."

Wagapalooza will be held at the Winston Wells Ball Field in Cruz Bay, the first time it’s not been in Coral Bay at Skinny Legs.  The event just got too big for the back yard of the bar.

Contestants can pre-register Wednesday at the Marketplace.  More information’s available from, Nancy at 340-779-4731.

Blues festival begins Wednesday

Bluesfestival2006The show will go on, despite the absence of the planned headliner at the 4th Annual Coors Light St. John Blues Festival

James Cotton, one of the greatest blues harmonica players in the world, has had to cancel his appearance at the Saturday night concert at the ball field in Cruz Bay.  Complications from throat cancer and pneumonia, explained Steve Simon, founder and producer of the event.

Simon said Carey Bell (Listen to a sample), another blues harp legend, has been added to the roster.  Also scheduled to perform are Mark Wenner and the Nighthawks (listen to a sample: ), and St. John’s Chris Carsel and the St John Blues Boys.

The Festival begins with a free party in Coral Bay at Island Blues Wednesday night.  Here’s the rest of the schedule: http://www.stjohnbluesfestival.com/bf/schedule2006.htm.

Other sponsors include the Jolly Dog Trading Company. and Theodore Tunick & Co.