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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesMALL'S THE PLACE FOR MANGO MELEE

MALL'S THE PLACE FOR MANGO MELEE

It's Mango Melee time on St. Thomas. Fruit lovers who head out to Tutu Park Mall Saturday afternoon can feast on fresh mangoes, mango cakes, mango preserves, mango chutney, mango ice cream, mango wine and mango-just-about-anything.
If eating mangoes isn't enough, try mango perfume, mango-scented candles, mango body washes and a host of other products made with the local delicacy.
And learn to grow your own at a workshop on grafting and propagation, conducted by Ashley "Ashanti" George from the V.I. Agriculture Department.
The fruity festival is co-sponsored by the department and the Cooperative Extension Service at the University of the Virgin Islands. It has become an annual event in both districts. St. Croix held its own mango celebration a month ago.
Dale Morton of the Cooperative Extension Service acknowledged that the St. Thomas event is coming a bit late in the mango season. It was scheduled months ago, before anyone knew what the spring weather would be. But "this year the mangoes came in early and finished early because it was so dry," he said.
Last year, 25 varieties of mangoes were on display, Morton said. This year he anticipates there won't be quite that many, but says he is still expecting a good turnout.
Mango Melee runs from noon to 6 p.m. The workshops are scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m. Fourteen vendors have signed up, and there will be music, too.

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