When it comes to entertainment, the offerings are as eclectic as the people who live in St. Thomas. What is fresh and new this season may have left the island by next, but others quickly take their place. The winter season always sees more to do than the summer. For the latest on entertainment events, pick up a copy of St. Thomas This Week, available free at shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions around the island, or check the Thursday edition of the Virgin Islands Daily News. Its weekend section gives a good rundown of who is playing where and when.
Nightlife
Most hotels provide some sort of rather sophisticated entertainment at their bars and restaurants, particularly during the busier winter season. The offerings run toward local artists, some quite good, playing piano, steel pans or guitar. The Blue Moon Cafe at Secret Harbour Beach Resort provides a lovely setting for mellow piano and jazz music.
Hotels occasionally offer West Indian-style events popular with tourists. Bolongo Bay Beach Resort & Villas holds a Wednesday Carnival Night with a steel band, fire eater, limbo show and dinner.
Many restaurants set up entertainment after dinner with offerings that run from sophisticated jazz to very loud rock and roll. Duffy's Love Shack sets the pace for a party hearty atmosphere with its outrageously named drinks and loud music. Located in the Red Hook Shopping Center parking lot, the bar sees huge crowds of youthful folks gather here to mix and mingle. The Greenhouse also attracts a young crowd for nightly music that runs from rock & roll to local music.
Molly Malone's in American Yacht Harbor at Red Hook always has Irish music playing.
Frenchtown is the place to stroll from bar to bar for eclectic late night entertainment. The hot spots seem to come and go, but there is always something happening.
Performances
Reichhold Center for the Arts on the University of the Virgin Islands is the island's only place for major performances. Imported symphonies, ballet, and repertory companies join homegrown theater and dance groups in staging performances.
Pistarkle Theater, in the Tillett Gardens art complex, holds performances throughout the year.
Festivals
Carnival, held every year, is the island's premier event. Thousands of islanders living abroad return home for this event, so make sure to reserve your hotel early if you plan to attend. The event culminates with a parade by troupes and floats of people wearing fanciful costumes.
With little to entertain them in the way of formal events, residents gather at local galleries and shops whenever an artist unveils a new collection. Spots like the Color of Joy and the Camille Pissarro Gallery are known for these events. Wine, cheese, conversation and a chance to meet the locals are the reasons to attend. Check St. Thomas This Week and the Daily News for announcements.
Sports
Horse racing at Clinton Phipps Racetrack provides gathers a crowd every other Sunday. While the crowd is mostly local, a smattering of tourists also place bets.
School fields and Emile Griffith Park, located along Route 30 in Charlotte Amalie, often see local teams play baseball. Avid fans are always welcome to sit in the stands.
The Rolex Regatta is the island's premier sailboat race with competitors coming from all over the Caribbean. All are welcome to the festivities at the St. Thomas Yacht Club.