The sounds of steel pan bands filled the air Saturday afternoon as Pan o Rama kicked off the month-long St. John Festival celebration, this year with a theme of “Come Together Culturally on the Scene for Festival 2015.”
Pan o Rama featured 10 different steel pan bands at Franklin Powell Park ballfield, which will be home base for many of the events coming up throughout June and culminating with Festival Parade on July 4.
St. John cyclists have been practicing hard for the Festival Bike Race set for June 13, when they’ll be tackling plenty of hills as they race across the island starting at 8 a.m.
The action moves to Winston Wells ballfield on June 14, when several lovely young ladies will compete in the Princess Pageant starting at 6 p.m.
The crowd will pack the Cruz Bay ballfield once again on June 20, when local young women vie for the crown of St. John Festival Queen in what promises to be an entertaining show kicking off at 8 p.m.
Save those appetites for June 21, the most delicious day of St. John Festival, Food Fair at Frank Powell Park right along the Cruz Bay waterfront. This year’s Food Fair honoree is long time attendee Ruth Frett.
After tasting some local dishes watch the Festival royalty get crowned at 1 p.m. in the park and later catch the high-speed fun of the Festival Boat Races at 3 p.m. in Cruz Bay harbor.
As the month nears its end, the fun really heats up for St. John Festival. Festival Village, which will be called Boynes Ville in honor of Bernice Mahoney Boynes, will open on June 27 at 7 p.m. with dedications and a ceremony before Spectrum Band and Kes the Band perform and kick off a week of great nightly music.
Other bands lined up for Festival Village include Pumpa, Big Daddy Shaw and the Jammers, Shurwayne Winchester, Ah We Band, Cool Sessions Brass, Red Hot Flame, T Vice, Triple K, Small Axe, Kurwin Du Bois and Krosfyah.
Down the street from Festival Village will be the alcohol-free haven of Children’s Village, which opens on July 27 at 6 p.m. Children’s Village, hosted by Rotary Club of St. John and staffed by volunteers, will feature face painting, a jumpy house and games for kids of all ages.
Take a moment on July 3 to mark the annual Emancipation Day commemoration and watch an historical program at Frank Powell Park starting at 10 a.m.
Get up with the sun on July 4 and join the crowds dancing through the streets of Cruz Bay during J’ouvert, which starts at 6 a.m. Afterwards take a nap and be ready for Festival Parade in Cruz Bay at 11 a.m. with parade grand marshal Alecia Wells leading the way.
Once the sun goes down, the crowds will gather along the beach in Cruz Bay and watch the Festival fireworks illuminate the sky starting at 9 p.m.
The final event of St. John Festival 2015 will take place on the water as captains steer their boats in the Festival Poker Run on July 5 starting at noon in Cruz Bay harbor.
