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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesLittle Tramp Grows Into Big Fun and Breakfast

Little Tramp Grows Into Big Fun and Breakfast

Gloria Gordon shows off her Three Kings Day Hat.Although they signaled the end of the holiday season, the Crucian-Rican and All Ah We Three Kings Day tramp and breakfast early Wednesday inspired joyful holiday spirits among participants.

The morning’s festivities started at 6 a.m. sharp with Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights leading the hour-long walk of hundreds from Bassin Triangle to Christian "Shan" Market where volunteers served breakfast.

By all accounts the breakfast was the biggest in its six-year history.

“It keeps getting bigger every year – a lot of people came out because it was on a holiday,” Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis, one of the originators of the event, said. He said the Crucian-Rican food is all free, made and served by volunteers. Cheryl Francis said the breakfast could go on all day because people will keep bringing in more food.

People brought ham, kallaloo, saltfish, bread, cheese, salmon balls, fruit, and johnny cakes.

The food line stretched from the market shelter down to King Street and then snaked back up into the parking lot and along the side of the shelter. But those at the end of the line were closest to the music from the St. Croix Educational Complex Quelbe Band. Many hips were swaying, and there were smiles and new year’s greetings heard everywhere.

Francis said the idea to do the tramp and breakfast came about in 2004 after the St. Croix Landmarks Society presented a historic walk of Gallows Bay. That walk led to the discovery that 14 well-known bakers had lived in the area.

Raised in Gallows Bay, Francis, then the St. Croix administrator, and George "Bagoon" O’Reilly decided to start a teetee bread bake-off and hold it on the first Tuesday of the year, which happened to be Three Kings Day in 2005.

“This is a great way to start the new year,” Aminah Saleem said. “The tramp was so much fun and having it in Christiansted is a good alternative to out west.”

Image Band, DJ Sox, Digital Band and Elizabeth and Outta Limitz played under tents set up that kept the intermittent showers off the speakers and microphones.

V.I. Water and Power Authority employees were giving out water, juice and finger towels for folks perspiring in the tramp.

“I went to all of the other festival tramps and this was the last lap,” Lisabeth Merchant said. “I loved this one, it was really good.”

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