Join us on FRIDAY & SATURDAY Dec. 19-20 from 9-6 PM at E’s Garden Teahouse
LEARNING EXPO FRI 9-12 | 1 PM BOTH DAYS ARTISANS SPEAK | 4 PM FRI INITIATORS RECOGNIZED | 2:30 PM SAT AVELINO HONORED
PRESS RELEASE
2025 Virgin Islands Woodworkers Expo!
The 2025 Virgin Islands Woodworkers Expo will take place on December 19th and 20th from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at E’s Garden Tea House, located on Garden Street in Charlotte Amalie town. While there is no entry cost, there will be local, handmade wood artisan work on sale and on display, along with demonstrations of wood crafting skills. Attendees can capture unique holiday season gifts for Christmas, Kwanzaa, or the New Year!
The woodworkers are inviting middle and high school students to a Learning Expo on Friday, December 19 between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. In addition to discussing artwork, students will learn about the different types of wood used and the tools used to create the art pieces. The artists will also be demonstrating relief carving, chip carving, whittling, carving, and woodturning. Students will have the opportunity to work with artists. The sessions will be throughout each of those days and last about one and a half hours each.
Woodworkers include William “Bill” Johnson, Afreekan Southwell, Janice Penn, Joseph Degazon, and Harold Shomo on St. Thomas, along with Andre McBean, Terry Daley-Stanley, and Edmund Fieulleteau representing St. Croix with Kurt Marsh representing St. John. Woodworkers will make brief presentations of themselves and their work at 1:00 p.m. on both days.
On Friday, December 19, at 4:00 p.m., there will be a recognition of how the woodworkers expo was founded including expo visionary Carol Spanner (posthumously). A special tribute to the family of Avelino Samuel will also take place on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 2:30 p.m.
The craft of woodworking is an integral component of Virgin Islands culture, dating back generations. The artisans are deeply interested in sharing their skills with Virgin Islands youth and community to sustain this craft within our Virgin Islands culture for generations to come.
Sponsored by MSI, E’s Teahouse and Things, WSTA 1340 AM, and Conch Shell Media LLC. Listen out for more information on Saturday, December 13 at 9:00 pm on the weekly Strength-to-Strength radio program on WSTA 1340 AM about details of the Virgin Islands Woodworkers Expo and call at (340) 244-3898 for more information.
