Repeating Islands

St. Thomas hosts the second largest Carnival cultural celebration in the Caribbean (after Port-of-Spain, Trinidad). Originating in Trinidad in 1783, the Carnival festival is rooted in West African rituals of masquerade that have been applied to the celebration of Christian Lent. St. Thomas’ annual post-Easter Carnival is an incredible spectacle of spirit and tradition. This year, the St. Thomas Carnival is taking place between April 12 and May 2.

Taking place during the last two weeks of April, Carnival in St. Thomas includes soca/calypso shows and contests, food fairs, pageants, parades, and other activities.  Most of the festivities are centered in Charlotte Amalie, in a specially constructed Carnival Village, and in the Lionel Roberts Stadium. Preparations start months before Carnival with costume making, rehearsals for the parade, and competitions. In the first few days of Carnival there are pageants for king and queen of the band, Carnival queen, prince, and princess.  Part of the celebrations include mocko jumbies (costumed stilt-walkers representing African spirits), scratch bands, costumed parade marchers, and steel drum bands.

J’ouvert is also an important element in Carnival. It is a large street party that traditionally begins very early in the morning, hence the name j’ouvert, a contraction of jour ouvert (open day). This year, for example, the J’ouvert begins on April 30th at 12:30am (warm-up) and then again at 4am. The final week of celebrations is the most exciting, ending with two major parades on the last two days (the Children’s Parade on May 1^st and the Adults’ Parade on May 2^nd). The celebrations culminate on May 2^nd with a fireworks show at 9pm and the Last Lap from 10pm until 2am.

Later in the summer, Carnival begins in St. John. Starting in late June, it traditionally culminates on July 4th with a 4th of July parade. St. Croix, on the other hand, hosts its Carnival Festival events during Christmas through New Year, with the adult’s parade, often the last big event of Carnival, coinciding with Three Kings’ Day (Epiphany).

For more information see, http://www.vinow.com/general_usvi/carnival/

Photograph from www.virginislandsthisweek.com/