Entertainment

U.S. Virgin Islands celebrates a successful St. Thomas Carnival

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and the Division of Festivals celebrate the success of the 2024 St. Thomas Carnival.

Published

7 months ago

May 13, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Sizzla (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and the Division of Festivals celebrate the success of the 2024 St. Thomas Carnival.

Table of Contents

2024 St. Thomas Carnival

Kicking off with cultural staples including the Prince & Princess Show, Queen Show, Calypso Monarch, and Panorama, the St. Thomas Carnival festivities welcomed thousands of revelers, including locals, the diaspora, and visitors, to the shores of Charlotte Amalie for a multi-day celebration spotlighting the broad culture and traditions of the island territory.

“Carnival in the U.S. Virgin Islands is growing, allowing us to display our rich and vibrant culture to the world,” shares Commissioner Joseph Boschulte of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. “This success is a testament to the continued hard work of our Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals staff whose unwavering efforts showcase our home islands.”

Performances

Machel Montano kicked off six nights of free nightly concerts in the Festival Village, followed by performances from KES the Band, Sizzla Kalonji, Patrice Roberts, Barrington Levy, Adam O, TeeJay, Spectrum Band, Temisha, and more. On Saturday night, international superstar Shaggy closed out the village, performing hits like “It Wasn’t Me,” “Boombastic,” and “Angel” in front of thousands of fans.

: Machel Montano (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

: Patrice Roberts (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

: Sizzla (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

: Shaggy (Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism)

Children’s and Adult Parade days were filled with revelers in bright and ornate costumes adorned with jewels, feathers, and traditional madras fabrics.

“Every year, we want to bring the best experiences to the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands for carnival. We are extremely excited to continue growing our national celebrations and welcoming the world to experience them with us,” adds Ian Turnbull, U.S. Virgin Islands Director of Festivals.

More info on St. Thomas Carnival

With carnival arrivals growing by nearly 27% compared to 2023 and record event attendance throughout April’s celebrations, the USVI Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals continues innovatively leading transformative progress in carnival culture and destination marketing within the Caribbean region.

Carnival season in the U.S. Virgin Islands will kick off again in less than two months when the St. John Celebration begins in late June.

For more information on the St. John Celebration, please visit https://www.visitusvi.com/experiences/carnivals-festivals.

Related Topics:events festivals Virgin Islands

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Unheard Voices Staff

Unheard Voices is an award-winning news magazine that started in 2004 as a newsletter in the Asbury Park, Neptune, and Long Branch, NJ areas to broadening into a recognized Black online media outlet. The company is one of the few outlets dedicated to covering social justice issues. They are the recipient of the NAACP Unsung Hero Award and CV Magazine's Innovator Award for Best Social Justice Communications Company.