The last lap of St. John Festival 2000 had lots of everything people enjoy in a holiday celebration — crowds, colorful sights, musical merriment, lots of local food, and peace.
And when the judges' rendered their verdict on the best of the parade participants, the winners were:
Floupes (troupes with floats):
1. Elskoe and Associates, "Tout Mon Cadance"
2. Caneel Bay Resort, "Dawn in a Tropical Garden"
3. Human Services Department Drug-Free and Delinquency Prevention Program, "Prevention Winners"
Troupes:
1. Gypsies, "Fireworks"
2. Infernos, "Fire and Ice"
3. Tropical Masqueraders, "Pokemon"
Moko Jumbies:
1. Moko Jumbie Jamboree
2. John McCleverty's Traditional Moko Jumbies
3. Morton's Moko Jumbies
Majorettes:
1. St. Croix Majorettes
2. Sebastian Majorettes
3. Charming Twirlers Majorettes
Honorable mention, Stunts and Twirlers Majorettes
Bands:
1. (tie) Love City Pan Dragons, Pan Around the Neck
Wednesday morning, Police Chief Jose Garcia, who led a combined force of local and federal law enforcers keeping watch over the festival activities, expressed satisfaction with the security operations.
Garcia thanked ADT Security Systems for donating surveillance cameras, as the company had also done for V.I. Carnival on St. Thomas this year. And he expressed appreciation for the respectful behavior of the hundreds of youthful music fans who packed Daniel's Court at night to hear their favorite bands. "I like to see the young people come out and enjoy themselves without getting into a fiasco," he said.
Sporadic rains the last two days forced activities in the festival village, Daniel's Court, and at the Cruz Bay bandstand to shift direction. Quadrille dancers taking part in Monday's Culture Day program to mark Emancipation Day stepped under the shelter of the bandstand roof to complete their performance. A small but appreciative crowd joined them.
Pools of water collected on stage in the village but St. John's Cool Sessions Brass kept the lively rhythms going, pausing only for a baton twirling demonstration by the St. Croix Majorettes. Monday night, village-goers and booth operators launched the festival finale marathon, with crowds packing a barge dance and local nightclubs until dawn and St. John J'Ouvert.
Two bands took turns swinging the music for the last night of the last lap in Daniel's Court. Honoree Harry Daniel watched with twinkling eyes from a discrete corner of the village on Emancipation Night. He said he was pleased to see everyone having a good time and showing friendliness toward one another.
As the sun rose Fourth of July morning, inside her booth, Deborah Charles surrendered the rolling pin she had kept in motion for hours producing pates and lowered her shutter to fix more food. Over at another booth selling roti, a small jubilant crowd from St. Lucia and Dominica lifted their cups to the morning light.
By the time the parade began shortly after noon, more than an hour late a swelling crowd of spectators lined the Cruz Bay streets.
A woman standing in front of Cap's Place lifted her infant son into the arms of a passing mocko jumbie (and got him safely back). St. John's two major hotels, Caneel Bay Resort and the St. John Westin, sent their revelers into the streets to join the entries from St. Thomas, which were smaller in number than for their own V.I. Carnival, but just as festive.
Rob Crane announced the winning entries shortly after the end of the parade. He said the judges ruled a tie for Best Band between the Love City Pan Dragons and the Pan Around the Neck marching steelband because "They were each good in their own way, but they were so different."
A little after 9 p.m. on Independence Day, the throng in festival village surged onto the streets by the Cruz Bay taxi stand to ooh and ahh at the fireworks display put on by Zambelli Internationale. After the show, they returned to the village to find Nick Friday and the Jam Band set up and stepping up the the mics.
At midnight the bandleader bid the crowd goodnight and an exodus of contented festival-goers from St. Thomas headed for the ferry dock.
As of 1 a.m. Wednesday, the Zone D Police Command had recorded only two festival-related arrests:
An unidentified man was taken into custody shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday and charged with disorderly conduct, delaying and obstructing a police officer, and resisting arrest.
Anthony Turbe was arrested around 5 p.m. Tuesday and charged with aggravated assault and battery, possession of a controlled substance, and disobeying a lawful order.
