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While the locals shop for plants, herbs, and fresh veggies at this November fair, savvy visitors look for well-made crafts seldom seen in shops. Handcrafted dolls and small brooms made of palm fronds make unusual take-home gifts.

This week-long event in February or early March features a produce and livestock exhibition by farmers at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. Additional exhibitions are held across the territory. The finale is a food fair where you can savor island fare.

This mega event, held every February at the Agriculture Department Grounds, puts a new spin on the country fair. Look for agricultural exhibits as well as games, food, old-time music, and cooking demonstrations. St. Croix’s youthful members of the international group 4-H also put on displays at the Agrifest.

Commemorating the end of slavery on August 1, 1834, Tortola’s carnival is marked by a day-long parade in Road Town, athletic events, beauty pageants, and food fairs. Even in a region not known for punctuality, the parade is notorious for hours-late starts.

Reggae, gospel, blues, and salsa at Cane Garden Bay in May.

Amateur groups perform early Christmas morning in Emancipation Garden.

Lasting through December until Three Kings Day, this annual festival features a plethora of events, from parades to musical programs. Sample island dishes at Food Fair, held in mid-December. Event locations vary, usually between Christiansted and Frederiksted in alternating years.

This exciting boat race, to Cane Garden Bay in Tortola and back, held the last weekend in May, attracts skippers of all manner of wooden boats. The legendary beach parties are full of food, fun, and music.

The annual concert series runs from October to May.

This annual June and July event wraps up with a three-hour parade through the streets of Cruz Bay. The music is deafening, the town overflowing, and the fun on the party-hearty side. You won’t see much in the way of American flags; this is definitely a Caribbean event.