Christmas festivities take off in a big way this weekend, with the annual lighted boat parade Saturday, Miss St. Croix Pageant Sunday and Stanley Serenades next week. Many, though not all of the events are part of the month-long annual Crucian Christmas Festival.
The Christmas Boat Parade, with beautifully decorated and lit boats filing past crowds on the Christiansted Boardwalk, is scheduled to begin Saturday around 6 p.m. But festivities begin in the early afternoon, all the stores will be open, choirs will sing and mocko jumbies will dance to steel pan music.
Miss St. Croix contestants will square off Sunday at 5 p.m. at Island Center in an official Crucian Christmas Festival activities. Tickets for the contest for festival royalty are $30 in advance for reserved covered seating, $35 at the door; and $25 in advance for general seating, $30 at the door. Ticket locations are Urban Threadz, Essentric Shoe Boutique, Armstrong Ice Cream and Classic Style Boutique.
Stanley & the Ten Sleepless Knights, the quintessential St. Croix quelbe band, bring back their hugely popular midnight serenades again this year, with the help and sponsorship of WTJX Virgin Islands Public Television.
The band will start out just Tuesday morning just after midnight, so it may make sense for some to just stay up Monday night rather than try to get up at 1 or 2 a.m. Tuesday. Loaded up on their truck, the band will start in Estate Richmond at WTJX headquarters, work its way to Frangipani and Mon Bijou, then to Mount Pleasant West, with a long line of cars honking their horns as they follow behind. People peep out their windows, stand on their balcony’s and porches, and watch the band go by, then go back to sleep. Others come out onto their lawns, dancing in the moonlight to the rhythm of Caribbean Christmas carols.
Then it is on to Grove and a stop for an early morning breakfast feast and a chance for neighbors to come out and dance. Finally, the band and revelers will wind their way through Williams Delight and Whim, and finally into Frederiksted town, where there will be a pre-dawn tramp from the post office to Midre Cummings Park, across from Fort Frederik.
After everyone gets a little rest during the day Tuesday, the band will strike up again, just after midnight, early Wednesday morning.This time they will head from Richmond to Estate St. John, Clifton Hill, Flamboyant Gardens, Estate Strawberry, Peter’s Rest and Eliza’s Retreat, stopping at several houses for respite along the way. Finally, the band will lead a pre-dawn tramp from Market Square to WTJX headquarters in Estate Richmond.
Santa Claus is coming to the Christiansted Bandstand Friday. Santa will present children up to the age of 12 with juice and goodies at the bandstand, which is adjacent to Fort Christiansvaern. The V.I. Fire Department is providing transport and logistical support during Mr. Claus’ visit to Christiansted this year. Face painting, mocko jumbies, and fun begin at 4 p.m. and the Rising Stars Orchestra will play their steel pans from 5 to 7 p.m. Santa Claus is expected in Christiansted at 6 p.m.
The annual Soup de Cure fundraiser will take place Dec. 16 at the Reminisce Restaurant in Queens Quarters from 3 to 9 p.m. Chefs and home cooks across St. Croix will bring in huge pots of their prize recipes, serving up bowl after steaming bowl to the gathered throng, while the music of Fyah Train and Super Tracks entertains the crowd. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital.
A food, arts and crafts fair will be held at noon Dec. 21 at D.C. Canegata Park. Later, around 7 p.m. the Christiansted Mini-Festival Village will open in Canegata Park, with carnival rides and games. Band performances begin at 8 p.m. featuring Digital Band, Jamal & de Crew, and Pumpa and da Unit. Festivities at the mini-village will continue in the evenings for three days.
On Dec. 22, the Ole Time Traditional Night Parade will travel under the city’s Christmas street lighting from the Sunday Market Square to the Canegata fairgrounds. The parade is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Performing that evening in the mini-village are Xclusive Band, Stylee Band and Spectrum Band.
The Calypso Monarch Eliminations will be held at 8 p.m. Dec. 23 at Jam Time Nightclub in Estate Mount Pleasant West. The admission is $15 at the door.
A new tradition begins Christmas Eve with the opening of the Mid-Island Mini Village, in the field adjacent to John H. Woodson Middle School on Mon Bijou. It will feature carnival rides and games, Stanley & the 10 Sleepless Knights, Digital Band and The World Famous XPress Band, among others. It too will continue for three nights.
The Calypso Monarch Final will be held Dec. 26 and the Party Monarch competition Dec. 28 at Island Center.
On Dec. 27, the Frederiksted Festival Village will open on the grounds adjacent to the Paul E. Joseph baseball stadium, with food booths, merchants, carnival rides and games. Opening Tramp from the Frederiksted Post Office to the Festival Village at 7 p.m. Opening ceremony will be at 6 p.m. Kule Band, Fusion Band and Kross Fire from Barbados will perform at 8 p.m. Festivities will continue for 11 days, with many bands every night.
The annual boat races will be held off Frederiksted on Dec. 30 with boats running from the Fish Market to the Frederiksted Pier. The V.I. Department of Tourism will sponsor Cultural Night at the Festival Village that evening.
On New Year’s Eve, "Youth Talent Shines" will see performances by Volume International Band, JDPP and Stylee Band at the Festival Village.
On Jan. 2, Roast-A-Time J’Ouvert gets the day off to a loud start at daybreak. Starting at Hannah’s Rest Corner, the event winds up into Frederiksted, with bands and gyrating crowds of all ages culminating at the Festival Village. The annual Food, Arts and Crafts Fair will be held at noon that day at the Frederiksted Waterfront and Buddhoe Park, and later it’s Reggae Night at the Festival Village.
The Children’s Parade Day starts at Claude O. Markoe Elementary School on Jan. 4 and runs down Frederiksted’s King Street to the Festival Village.
For many, the Adult Parade on Jan. 5 is the highlight of Festival, with bands, marching troupes, dignitaries, floats and more.
On Jan. 6, the Last Lap will wrap up the Crucian Christmas Festival in the evening with fireworks on the Frederiksted waterfront and performances at the Festival Village by Prince Galloway, King Derby, Calypso Rose, King Short Shirt and The Mighty Sparrow.
For official Crucian Christmas Festival schedules and complete band listings, see the Crucian Christmas Festival website: www.stxfestival.com.
