The Virgin Islands Tourism Department and Division of Festivals have announced the schedule and village lineup for the 70th St. John Celebration.
The St. John Celebration kicked off on June 8 with Pan-O-Rama and will continue throughout the month with cultural events, including the Princess, Jr. Miss, and Queen Pageants, a Food Fair, and Boat Races, according to the press release.
“As we continue to grow our cultural events and welcome more visitors to join in on the festivities, we are excited to share this year’s exciting schedule for the 70th annual St. John Celebration and 126th commemoration of the Virgin Islands Emancipation,” said Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte.
The highly anticipated Celebration Children’s and Festival Villages, located just steps away from the Cruz Bay ferry dock, will have its grand opening on June 28, kicking off seven nights of daily concerts from world-class entertainment free and open to the public. Headlined by international superstar Wyclef Jean, the festival village will feature Kes the Band, Patrice Roberts, Dexta Daps, Pumpa, Mr. Killa, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons, Lyrikal, Asa Bantan, Adam O, Richie Spice, Nadia Batson, Cool Session and more, the press release stated.
“Together with our local partners and volunteers, the Division of Festivals team is excited for the launch of the 2024 St. John Celebration,” shared Ian Turnbull, director of Festivals. “As we continue to honor the deep, rich cultural history of the island of St. John, we look forward to showcasing it to the world.”
St. John culture will be on full display with J’ouvert, Emancipation Day Programming, the Torch Light Parade, and Parade Day, culminating with the annual fireworks display in the Cruz Bay Harbor on July 4th, the release stated.
For the 70th Annual St. John Celebration, the Division of Festivals will be honoring pillars in the community who embody the island’s rich culture and elegance:
- Celebration Village Honoree: Ms. Gwenda Dagou
- Celebration Food Fair Honoree: Ms. Margaret Sayer
- Celebration Parade Marshalls: St. John Past Royalties
The following is the schedule of events:
Saturday, June 8: Pan-O-Rama, Franklin A. Powell Sr. Park 4:00 PM
Sunday, June 16: STJ Prince, Princess & Jr. Miss Show, St. John BMV Parking Lot 5:00 PM
Saturday, June 22: STJ Queen Show, St. John BMV Parking Lot 7:00 PM
Sunday, June 23: Food Fair & Coronation, Franklin A. Powell Sr. Park 1:00 PM
Sunday, June 23: Boat Race, Cruz Bay Harbor 3:00 PM
Friday, June 28: Childen’s Village, STJ Nat’l Park Parking Lot 6:00 PM
Friday, June 28: Village Grand Opening, Cruz Bay Parking Lot 6:00 PM
Wednesday, July 3: J’ouvert, STJ Nat’l Park Ballfield Entrance SUNRISE
Wednesday, July 3: Emancipation Day Program, Slim Man’s Parking Lot 10:00 AM
Wednesday, July 3: Torch Light Parade, Village Entrance 7:00 PM
Thursday, July 4: Parade, STJ Nat’l Park Ballfield 11:00 AM
Thursday, July 4: Fireworks, Cruz Bay Harbor 9:00 PM
For more information about St. John Celebration, please visit https://www.visitusvi.com/experiences/carnivals-festivals.
