In an effort to boost Frederiksted's daytime appeal to cruise ship visitors, the organizers of Harbour Night want to try something new — Harbour Day.
The event will get a month's trial period during December. If successful, it may be continued, said Kim Holdridge, director of the bimonthly Harbour Night for the Dalton Associates.
"It is our intention to bring more visitors to the Frederiksted Pier and have them spend a little more time there before and after tours and shopping in Christiansted," said Holdridge.
The event will also fill the daytime hours every other Wednesday when Carnival Cruise Lines' newest megaship, the Triumph, is in port. On the Wednesday the Triumph isn't calling, Carnival's Destiny is. The Destiny remains in port until midnight, allowing passengers to experience the Harbour Night street party.
With Harbour Days, organizers are also looking to next spring and summer when the Destiny will be in drydock and Harbour Night won't have a ship to work with. Because of its itinerary, the Triumph will only be in port until the afternoon.
"We need to do something to make up for the absence of the Destiny," said Sen. David Jones, a co-founder of Harbour Night.
The December Harbor Days will be on the waterfront park that runs parallel to Strand Street from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Frederiksted. Both Harbour Night and Harbour Days introduce cruise ship passengers to island food, music and arts and crafts.
Harbour Night, now in its third year, has become a premier event, Jones said.
"Harbour Night has worked for St. Croix," he said. "It's one of the most important aspects of tourism…"
Upcoming Harbour Days are: Dec. 1; 2; 9; 13; 15; 15; 17; 26; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31.
