The Virgin Islands will be celebrating its 66th emancipation festival commencing today, July 31, 2020, with slight changes to its itinerary.

The virtual Opening Ceremony will take place at 6:00pm after which there will be a poetry slam from 7:00pm to 11:30pm.

On Sunday, August 1, 2020, there will be a virtual Emancipation Service at the Long Look Methodist Church at 3:00pm.

Following that service, there will be a virtual gospel explosion commencing at 7:00pm.

The activities will continue on Monday, August 3, 2020, with a VI Showcase in the evening, starting at 7:00pm and it will culminate at 11:30pm.

On Tuesday, August 4, 2020, there will be a Calypso Review, also done virtually at 7:00pm.

On Wednesday, August 5, 2020, there will be a Festival of Culture and Praise all day, and on Friday, August 7, 2020, there will be a Cultural Food Fair at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park.

The final event on this year’s calendar will be the Farmers Market in Carrot Bay on Saturday, August 8, 2020 commencing at 6:00am.

Slight changes

This year, due to the Coronavirus, the events are being held mostly online, Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr The Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) informed on July 21, 2020, during the House of Assembly.

Initially, the festival was slated for July 31 to August 5.

The minister had said this year’s festival would start with a Cultural Food Fair on Friday, July 31, 2020, followed by a virtual Opening Ceremony.

Due to the high winds and recent inclement weather; however, the food fair was pushed back to August 7, 2020, Virgin Islands News Online understands.

The same is true for the event in Carrot Bay which was originally scheduled for August 1, 2020.

This year the festivities will be held under the theme: 'Be fully free- Emancipate yourself from mental slavery as we celebrate our Virgin Islands history'.