Monday, Oct. 14, marks the 60th anniversary of the Virgin Islands/Puerto Rico Friendship Day Celebration, which will bring an explosion of fun, music, and food to the Rudolph Schulterbrandt Agriculture Grounds in Lower Love on St. Croix.
“In recognition of Virgin Islands/Puerto Rico Friendship Day, which is being celebrated on October 14, this year, the VI/PR Friendship Committee will join with the community in celebrating the 60th anniversary of VI/PR Friendship. The people of the Territory of the Virgin Islands and the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico have had a long and happy association as relatives, good neighbors, business partners, fellow Americans, and warm friends. It is traditional to designate a day on which to call attention to the remarkable bonds and cooperation between the peoples of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico,” according to a Government House press release.
The VI/PR Friendship Committee will join the community to celebrate the 60th anniversary of VI/PR Friendship. This celebration, during Hispanic Heritage Month, brings people of diverse Hispanic cultures together to share their knowledge and backgrounds. It is an opportunity to teach children about the cultures that enhance the territory.
The festivities at the Village begin on Thursday. Throughout the four-day event, there will be no admission charge. Tickets for the Coney Island Rides may be purchased on-site. There will be food and beverages for sale. All entertainment will be free.
Numerous bands will perform over the four days, including XPress Band, Swing Latino, Hartatak International and Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights. Both local and Latin music will be featured.
Fiesta en el Batey, a family fun day, will take place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A partial list of the attractions, all of which are free, includes:
-The Children’s Museum of St. Croix
-Jungle James Petting Zoo
-Face Painting
-Quadrille/Masquerade
-Bomba Workshop
-King Derby Banjo Group
-Guardians of Culture Mocko Jumbie Workshop
Sammuel Sanes, St. Croix Island administrator, has been involved in the VIPR Friendship Committee for the past 24 years. “It still makes me really excited to celebrate the cultural tradition of my heritage. I hope that everybody shows up. We have quite an event, not just for adults but also for children. Everyone will have fun,” he said.
“This particular event is special for me because I’m going to see a lot of the committee presidents that I worked with in the past. It’s great that we are trying to bring them together. Being president is not a stroll in the park, it’s a lot of work and dedication. It’s a lot of passion involved,” he continued.
“The Hispanic community is one of the largest, if not the largest, on St. Croix. You notice that I use the word Hispanic because even though it is a Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Friendship Committee, we also have many other Hispanics from different countries that come and join us. That’s the great part about the Hispanic Month, all these individuals from different countries are going to come together as one to help us celebrate our heritage and culture,” Sanes added.
