Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jun 30, 2025

Parades mark end of 70th Crucian Christmas Festival

Parades mark end of 70th Crucian Christmas Festival

Another successful festival season on St Croix — this year being the 70th anniversary — culminated Friday, January 6, 2023, and Saturday, January 7, 2023, with the Children's and Adults parades respectively, as the first annual cultural extravaganza since the Covid-19 people drew a surfeit of participants both local and foreign to the big island.

The children's event saw 17 entries, including mainstays such as the St Croix Majorettes and the Superior Court Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra. 

For the adults, there were 22 entries, with powerhouses such as Simply Sophisticated Fun Troupe and Regal Dynasty among the organizations leading thousands of mas players through King Street in downtown Frederiksted.

Though there were hiccups during the Adults Parade, (Shamari Haynes, owner of the Simply Sophisticated Fun Troupe and Division of Festivals asst. director, said he was the victim of sabotage by someone who cut power cables that impacted sound for one of his troupes' truck), and while the event started late, a majority of troupe members appeared to have enjoyed the experience, putting on a show for onlookers near the judges' stand as they made their way to the end of the performance area.

This year's Grand Marshall was WTJX, the longstanding broadcast that has been covering the territory's festival and carnivals for almost half a century. “We went live for our first carnival in 1975 in St Thomas, so we're not new to this, we're true to this," said Tanya-Marie Singh, CEO of WTJX, before thanking those who have supported the broadcast throughout its existence.

She added, "I want to say this specifically: I don’t do this, we do this. My staff does this. My staff is the best. We are on all platforms. We are online and we have a free app. As culture shifts, we will be here to document it.”


The St Croix Majorettes during Children's Parade on Friday, January 6 2023.

Governer Bryan approved

Governor Albert A. Bryan Jr, a lover of culture, on Friday spoke about the joys of seeing the territory's children participate in the festivities and the strong support he witnessed from onlookers. “I am heartened to see so many people come down to celebrate our children. I mean they love this and practiced so hard. You see the St Croix Majorettes working out. It’s good to be down here to celebrate. It’s important to me, so it should be important to everyone else to celebrate our children," he said.

On Saturday he emphasized the growth of troupes over the years after having walked the parade route from end to end as he enjoyed mas in all its splendor. Mr Bryan mentioned the dazzling array of colors and feathers and [British] Virgin Islanders having the time of their lives.

The Adults Parade brought to a close nine days of exhilarating cultural activity on the island of St Croix as part of the 70th Crucian Christmas Festival. From Village nights, which featured several prominent artists, to Food Fair, the annual showcase of Crucian cuisine, to Jouvert and the parade events, along with a plethora of privately-sponsored affairs.

This year's festivities were also marked by Mr Bryan's second-term inaugural activities, along with the presence of President Joe R. Biden who was vacationing on St Croix — making for one of the busiest, most successful Crucian Christmas Festivals in a long time.

Next stop is the VI Carnival in St Thomas, which is scheduled for April 23-30 this year, according to the Division of Festivals.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
×