Things to do

The Celebration of Love vow renewal ceremony at Trunk Bay drew 56 couples representing 1,189 years of marriage.

One couple had been married 57 years, while another was just five hours into their life together. John and Barbara Achzet of St. John, the long-timers, offered simple advice for the newly-weds. ":I would tell them that you always have to listen," said John Achzet, according to the Virgin Islands Daily News. "You just don’t make rapid decisions."

The ceremony was conducted, as it has been for four years, by Ann Marie Porter and Cathy Dove. Romantic music was played as couples, hand in hand, walked to the beach. Most were dressed informally, and finally barefoot as they let the waves wash over their feet while repeating their vows.

Nearly a hundred couples are expected at Trunk Bay on Valentine’s Day to participate in the 4th annual vow renewal ceremony beginning at 4pmn.  Anne Marie Porter, St. John’s barefoot minister, and Cathy Dove, manager of Chilly Billy’s restaurant, organize the annual event.

One of the parts of the ceremony is an invitation by Porter for husbands and wives to forgive each other for anything they might have done over the past year, according to a report by the Virgin Islands Daily News,  "This asking for an receiving forgiveness is a b big thing," Dove explained. It makes me think differently about how I treat my husband all during the year."  The Celebration begins with a half-hour of fellowship, followed by the ceremony at 5:30pm

This is a big week for arts and music on St. John.  The 6th Annual Arts Festival opened this weekend with a reception and exhibit at the Battery.  "The Guy Show" is on view through Monday evening featuring "guy" things such as sports and heavy machinery.

Cruz Bay Park will be humming with free concerts.  Monday, from Noon to 4pm, the Soldier Crab Band will play; Tuesday it’s the Dengue Fever Band, followed by Koko and the Sunshine Band on Wednesday.  Tropical jazz by Sambacombo is scheduled for Thursday, and the week wraps up with the Ah We Band playing modern West Indian music Friday. 

Food and crafts will also be on sale at the Park each afternoon this week.

Coral Bay’s Jolly Dog Stores have offered $2,000 for the winner of this month’s 8 Tuff Miles Race. 

Runners/walkers/joggers can register at various businesses on island or online at http://8tuffmiles.com/register.htm.  Every entrant gets a T-shirt.

Last year, race organizer Peter Alter said 589 people finished the race; this year he expects 700 entries.  When Alter began organizing the event in 1997, there were 21 participants. 

The 8.375 mile course begins in the parking lot behind the National Park Visitors Center and ends near Skinny Legs in Coral Bay.

Registration for the 10th annual 8 Tuff Miles road race has begun. Race director Peter Alter is planning for 700 entrants this year, up from last year’s record 589 runners, sprinters, joggers and walkers.  (Everyone’s welcome!)  (Click on the calendar for details.) The third of three training runs is scheduled for Saturday Feb. 11.

You can register online at http://8tuffmiles.com/register.htm. The fee is $30. There will  be no registration on race day.

The Superintendent of the Virgin Islands National Park revealed plans for a New North Shore Road hiking trail and what he called "back country camping facilities" during a State of the Park address last weekend. 

Art Frederick also told the annual Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park meeting about extensive plans underway to to maintain and repair the North Shore road.  The $2.8 million project is expected to be complete by December.  Because of the project, the island has its first traffic lights.  They are managing traffic on what-has-become a one lane road where work is being done at Lind Point and Penn Point at Maho Bay.  It’s been 15 years since the roads have had such attention. 

The Park’s biggest event of this year, Frederick added, will be creation of a garden in front of the visitor’s center.  It will be dedicated to Laurence Rockefeller, the man who donated the Park’s land.

• Monday, Jan 23rd 2006
  10:00am Omega Workshops at Maho Bay. Sessions include: Whole Food Nutrition: Nourishing the Body, Mind, and Soul, The Free Heart, and -World Dance.   Eomega.org or Viki Brown at 693-5308.
• Wednesday, Jan 25th 2006
  11:00am Friends of the National Park Schedules Seminar. Afro-Caribbean Drumming Workshop, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Catherineberg Ruins. Drummer Eddie Bruce will demonstrate basic entertainment and ritual drumming techniques of West African and Afro-Caribbean cultures. For more information, call 779-4940.
• Saturday, Jan 28th 2006
  10:00am Friends of the National Park Seminar. Archaeology Boat Trip on the North Shore, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Jan. 28. Park archaeologist Ken Wild leads a boat ride around the island and points out archaeological discoveries along St. John’s North Shore. call 779-4940.
• Saturday, Jan 28th 2006
  6:00pm Art Show, Sale and Silent Auction at Caneel Bay Resort for The Safety Zone.  Special hors d’oeuvres and chocolates and champagne will be served. The event will raise money to combat violence and help victims of crimes. Call 690-7233.

More things to do listings at St. John Source

A schedule of lectures and workshops has been organized by Maho Bay Campgrounds.  Workshops are being offered in Qigong, Tantra, yoga and the natural mysteries of the world.  Tantra Yoga will be the subject Jan. 23 at 7:30pm. "Rediscovering the inherent preciousness and openness of our being" will be the subject of a presentation by Annette Koop on Jan. 30.  The sessions will be held in the St. John School of Arts classroom in the Lumberyard, near Polli’s restaurant.