St. John USVI turns out for the Dogs!

A large gathering came out to the VI National Park ball field yesterday evening for the Wagapalooza, an annual fundraiser for the Animal Care Center on St John. The blue ribbon winner of the Best Costume event and Wagapolooza Queen of Show was Taliah, owned by Crystal Allen, who made her dog this colorful carnival outfit in traditional island style. Woof woof!!

St. John USVI: It's CARNIVAL 2012 on St. Thomas!

Carnival photo courtesy of www.caribplanet.com

It’s time to CELEBRATE on St. Thomas for Carnival 2012!  The party lasts throughout April but the must-see events begin Friday, April 20^th with the opening of Carnival Village (Fort Christian parking lot) and runs through Saturday, April 28 with the 10am parade and the 9pm fireworks.

Some of the other highlights during the week of Carnival 2012 include:  Sunday’s 5pm Steelband Jamboree; Tuesday’s 8pm Senior Citizens’ Quelbe Tramp; and Friday’s 10am Children’s Parade.  And for those wild partiers looking to dance the night away…..don’t miss  J’ouvert on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 4am.   For a complete schedule see schedule at http://www.stthomasblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/carnival-2012.jpg.

Maho at Bajo with Featured St. John Art

To visit St. John is to be surrounded by the natural beauty of the island.  Many local artists have captured this beauty in various media and display their unique perspectives at St. John's own Bajo el Sol Gallery http://www.bajoelsolgallery.com/index.html located at Mongoose Junction in Cruz Bay.

Each month Bajo el Sol features a special showing of a few of the island's artists and invites the public to a wine and cheese gallery opening on the first Friday of the month--the artists work is then displayed for the rest of the month.  The next opening, Friday, May 4 from 5:00-8:00pm, features the work of William Stelzer, Patty Tacquard, and original glass art pieces by the Maho Art Center.  All glass art created by Greg Lee and Mariel Bass is hand blown from recycled glass bottles at the glass studio located at Maho Bay Camps eco-resort.

Beach-to-Beach Swim Come Soon on St. John USVI

2011 Beach-to-Beach Swim (photo credit friendsvinp.org)

Flex those swimming arms and get ready to dive in with the strong, the fun-loving, and the brave!  Friends of the VI National Park are sponsoring their 9th annual Beach-to-Beach Swim on St. John with categories for all levels of swimmers including relay teams and those equipped with snorkel mask and fins.

Each year the competition begins at Big Maho beach and finishes at Hawksnest with a party to celebrate everyone who participates in the event.  The swim will be held over Memorial Day weekend on the morning of Sunday, May 27.  The short course is about 1 mile between Maho and Cinnamon, the intermediate extends to Trunk Bay and  is 2-1/4 miles, and if you'd like to go the distance it is 3-1/2 miles to complete the race at Hawksnest.  Read more about this exciting competition and find out how to register or volunteer at http://www.friendsvinp.org/swim/.

St. John Activities -- DIY!

Youth Flag Football Association Opening Night Festivities, Cruz Bay, St. John, U.S.V.I.

One of the best things about St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands is that it is such a small community -- about 4000 living on-island and 2/3 National Park -- which means if there is an activity you are passionate about and it isn't already organized, you can do it yourself!  For instance, did you know there is a Bocce Ball League on Monday and Tuesday nights at 6pm in front of the Beach Bar in Cruz Bay?  Did you know Ultimate Frisbee is played every Tuesday night at 5pm in Coral Bay on the Guy Benjamin School ball field?  And did you know there are very serious adult and youth Flag Football Associations that play every Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30pm on the Winston Wells ball field in Cruz Bay?  All, due to locals living on a small island, who had a passion and made it so!  Guests and locals alike can be seen getting together to enjoy all of these activities on St. John.  So, whether you are on St. John for a week, a month, or three, come by and watch the action!  Who knows -- maybe you will go home with a new passion, thanks to the spirit of St. John!

Ultimate Frisbee in Coral Bay, St. John, U.S.V.I.

Adult Flag Football Association, Cruz Bay, St. John, U.S.V.I.

For more information:

http://www.accidentalphotography.com/blog/2011/03/ultimate-frisbee-with-the-catch-and-keep-team/

http://www.facebook.com/stjohnfootballusvi?sk=info

Bocce Ball League Information Kevin 340-227-0520

8 Tuff Miles...soon come to St John USVI

First to cross the finish 2011 (photo www.8tuffmiles.com)

The time is drawing near for all those runners (and walkers) preparing for the 8 Tuff Miles race here on St. John, USVI.  The upcoming race is Saturday, Feb 25 at 7:00am and is celebrating its 16th year.  For those familiar with the island hills, you know how tough it is to just drive along Centerline Road from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay...we sure hand it to all those hearty runners who complete the race and receive their well-deserved t-shirts to show they are among the few and the proud.  To learn more about the race take a look at the website http://www.8tuffmiles.com/.  Come cheer them on as the 1100 runners make their way to the Coral Bay ballfield to cross that finish line on Feb. 25!

8 Tuff Miles Race - February 28th, 2009

Feeling like getting some good exercise while you're in paradise? The 8 Tuff Miles Road Race is just the thing to get your heart pumping! Here's the info I found on the race at the USVI's new website, www.visitusvi.com:
For the 13th consecutive year, the Annual St. John Gatorade 8 Tuff Miles Road Race takes place on Saturday February 28, 2009 at 7:15 a.m. The race begins at Cruz Bay and ends 8.38 miles away, at Coral Bay. The course begins and ends at sea level, but elevates along the way to a maximum of 999 feet. Awards will be distributed to winners from all age groups, with the first place overall female receiving $300 and the first place overall male receiving a $300 bar tab from The Tap Room, Mongoose Junction. All entrants who complete the course will receive an official race T- shirt and a medal. For more information, call (340)779-4035 or visit www.8tuffmiles.com.