Some Special Events in The United States Virgin Islands You Do Not Want to Miss – Festivals, Carnivals & More!
Many customs and traditions are shared by Thanksgiving Day, which is observed on the fourth Thursday in November, and Independence Day. For instance, Christmas is observed for a longer length of time in the United States. Caribbean islands. One of the authentic celebrations that visitors can only encounter on the islands is carnival.
How delightful is it to know that your favorite vacation spot offers so many activities and events for you to take part in, along with so much other stuff it has to offer?
Yes, the United States Virgin Islands, while being a perfect getaway from daily life with its sun, sea, and slower pace, has so many carnivals and festivals for you to enjoy. In fact, every country has its own national holidays. Because the U.S. Virgin Islands are a part of the United States of America, they frequently coincide with the national holidays observed on the mainland.
Thanksgiving Day, which falls on the fourth Thursday of November, and Independence Day share many traditions and rituals. Christmas, for instance, is celebrated for a longer period in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Carnivals are among the genuine festivals that travelers may only experience on the islands.Â
Thus, if you enjoy celebrating holidays, you must visit the Virgin Islands and learn about their celebrations and traditions. They’re worth it! Now, before you book a flight, do you want to know what these are? Don’t worry; this article is all about it! Let’s begin!
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Yearly Carnivals On The Three Islands
No one can dispute Virgin Islanders’ fondness for Carnival! In fact, they are the year’s most eagerly awaited cultural events. Basically, a carnival is a celebration of freedom that includes music, alcohol, cuisine, parades, pageantry, dancing, singing, and socializing.
It features nightly performances by talented bands and solo artists, pageants for Carnival royalty, and fairs that highlight regional arts, cuisine, and beverages. It is both a cultural display and a cherished custom passed down from generation to generation. How cool!Â
The USVI hosts three carnival celebrations each year, one on each of the islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. These events allow locals to dance, listen to music, and enjoy food while honoring the territory’s rich, historical culture.
The community spends months preparing for the parade, building floats, manufacturing costumes, breaking in horses, and picking out the queens, princes, and princesses. The Three Kings Day parade concludes the St. Croix Carnival.
The St. Thomas Carnival is a two-week event that takes place in late April and features parades for both adults and children as well as fireworks, and the St. John’s Carnival is held during the week of the Fourth of July and includes events honoring both Independence Day and Virgin Islands Emancipation Day.
Food Fairs
For those who love to eat, this event is for you! Every year, thousands of people attend this festival, whether in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Cruz Bay, St. John, or the Christian Schjang Vegetable Market in St. Croix.Â
For example, St. Croix Carnival food fair is sure to have fried fish, lobster, Johnny cakes, shrimp, beef and salt fish pates, callaloo, tamarind stew, and mango and pineapple tarts, maubi, passion fruit juice, and a wide range of other Caribbean specialties.
This festival features an exciting fusion of regional cuisine and vibrant arts and crafts exhibits. There are a lot of little tables and booths in the food and art market. You can browse the stalls and tables and buy goods manufactured locally, such as crafts, paintings, and food and drinks.
Some stalls are hosted by local restaurateurs, while private citizens set others up as fundraisers for churches and schools in the area. Caribbean dolls, iguana dolls, handcrafted coconut bird feeders, coconut monkeys, paintings, and other regional handicrafts will be displayed at the event.
At Carnival Food Fairs, entertainment options go beyond just food and crafts. Also, there are music, dancing, and royal and public characters from the Carnival. Local musicians typically play steel pan music throughout the event, and traditional dance ensembles frequently perform during the fair’s opening ceremony.
The Food Fair is undoubtedly a worthwhile event to go to. Enjoy the taste of Caribbean specialties while browsing the stalls and the locally produced arts and crafts!
Mango Melee & Tropical Fruit Festival
A celebration of the mango, the “Queen of Tropical Fruit! With this yearly celebration of the island’s most well-known tropical fruit in the St. George Village Botanical Garden in late June, St. Croix maintains its status as the unofficial gastronomic capital of the US Virgin Islands.
Mangoes are still the primary emphasis of this event, despite expanding to include other fruits after Hurricane Lenny decimated the mango crop in 1999. The more than 80 different mango kinds cultivated on St. Croix can be tried by visitors in the form of mango butter, beer, wine, and even sushi. Mango cooking and eating competitions are also held during the festival.
Moreover, this well-liked summertime event fosters a broader understanding of tropical fruits, particularly mangoes, how to grow them, and their multiple uses. Mango Melee offers kid-friendly activities and educational sessions while contributing to the garden’s annual fundraising efforts.
Learn about the abundance of tropical fruit and taste it—workshops, performances, samplings, vendors, competitions, and lots of friends and entertainment!
Calypso Shows
A musical genre known as calypso has long been connected to the Caribbean. In fact, Calypso music is a crucial component of Carnival and a significant aspect of Caribbean culture.
In Calypso Shows, talented calypsonians using wit and talent compete for titles like Calypso Monarch. These singers are evaluated on their vocal prowess, stage presence, and calypso lyrics. The best part is that even children perform and compete for awards as the best junior calypsonians.
There are many other music events throughout the Carnival celebrations, but Calypso Competitions and Pan-o-Rama have long been people’s favorites.Â
Can you believe that Calypso and Pan music are indisputable symbols of the Caribbean, much like baseball is of America?
A Taste Of St Croix
For 18 years, Taste of St. Croix has brought together local chefs, restaurants, farmers, caterers, and distributors to celebrate the unique spirit and flavor of St. Croix.
Two local restaurateurs came up with the idea for the event when it first started in 2001 to highlight St. Croix’s unique and delicious cuisine and culture, as well as its various influences from all around the Caribbean and the world. The Taste of St. Croix festival is today regarded as one of the best wine and gourmet festivals in the Caribbean and all around the world.
Numerous winemakers, rum distillers, brewers, celebrity chefs, foodies, journalists, and social media influencers are among the thousands of visitors the event continues to draw. Food lovers will definitely enjoy this annual one-day April festival at St Croix’s only all-inclusive resort, the Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Beach Resort and Casino.
During this celebration of St. Croix’s best culinary skill, more than 50 of the area’s best-known restaurants serve their finest delicacies. Along with traditional Cajun, Creole, and Caribbean fare, French and Italian cuisine is also available.Â
Do you know what the best part about it is? Yes, it’s true that due to its success, Taste has grown to include many activities that continue to excite locals and tourists. But what’s even more remarkable is that Taste encompasses much more than just fantastic food and wine events. Basically, it also serves as a fundraiser for neighborhood charities.
Since its inception, Taste of St. Croix has given more than $350,000 to neighborhood initiatives and associations. Also, a year-round calendar of initiatives to assist and market the island’s hospitality sector. The St. Croix Foundation receives the total earnings from the festival. How cool!
Open/Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament
The 46th USVI Open/Atlantic Blue Marlin Tournament (ABMT) runs from August 23–25 out of IGY’s American Yacht Harbor Marina in Red Hook on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, encourages catch-and-release of large blue marlin.
Trophies are given out at this eco-friendly fishing competition for both the bluest marlin caught and the most tagged and released fish. Along with some of the best anglers in the world, fishers from all over the world are invited to participate. The Boy Scouts benefit entirely from the sales of this important event, which takes place in St. Thomas on the August weekend closest to the full moon.
Lastly, The non-profit Maritime Vocational Program, which offers Virgin Islands youngsters a career path in the marine hospitality sector, also benefits from the USVI Open’s proceeds to a large extent.
Have The Best Days Ever - Live Like A True Virgin Islander! ...🛪
The United States Virgin Island is referred to as “America’s Caribbean Paradise,” where visitors can experience many things. From seeing stilt walkers performing in parades, hearing the lyrical patois of the Creole language, to smelling the spices in saltfish pate (all without losing cell phone reception), you have it all!Â
Either book a trip to any of the three islands, St. Thomas, St. John, or St. Croix, or stay on all three.Â
So what are you waiting for? Book a trip today and get ready for lots of pampering, breathtaking views, and lots of colonial history, all crammed into one holiday!
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