The annual Coral Bay parade on Labor Day is a supremely local event, recalling an earlier era.
Parade viewers gather at the Coral Bay Triangle where signs welcome visitors to Coral Bay. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)St. John July 4th Celebration Princess Serai Lawrence, Queen Sher’Niah Freeman, and Prince Tejari Moses cruise through Coral Bay. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
As is the tradition, St. John royalty led the way.
Local troupes from St. John followed, such as VI for Life featuring accents of traditional madras.
(Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)Kamaria Penn of V.I. for Life wears madras. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
Among the parade entries was one of the newest youth organizations, the Love City Cheer Squad. Directed by Ceamba Amory and Kerrima Harrigan, the group has been practicing at the Julius E. Sprauve School for the last six months.
(Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)Members of the Love City Cheer Squad shake their pompoms. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
Viewers next got their first look at some St. John Slingshots – three-wheeled vehicles that are a cross between a motorcycle and a sportscar.
Carmen Wesselhoft-Hedrington rides a blue Slingshot. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)Meshaun Wilkinson pilots a black Slingshot. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
As vehicles turned from Route 107 to Route 10, Source reporter (and deputy parade coordinator) Judi Shimel helped direct traffic.
Judi Shimel strikes a pose as she directs traffic. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
Small troupes proudly made their way through Coral Bay.
Coral Bay Carpentry has brought a group of friends to ride in the parade for 10 years. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)St. John’s L’Amour troupe was small but resplendent in orange. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
AARP passed out fans and water bottles and urged V.I. residents to get out and vote in the coming election.
AARP members Jackie Clendenin, Melonie Richards, Pamela Toussaint, and Linda Torres pause for a photo. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)Among the parade viewers were St. John Deputy Police Chief Clayton Brown, Island Administrator Shikima Jones-Sprauve, and musician/soundman Malcolm Sprauve. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
The parade was the warm-up to an all-day event, the Love City Car Show.
Car Show co-founders Alston “Big Al” Smith and Jay Swartley ride their Kawasaki Mules in the parade. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
And what’s a parade without a horse?
Dana Bartlett of Coral Bay Corral rides by the entrance to the car show. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
At the Car Show, classic Volkswagen “bugs” were an early attraction. Renowned mechanic Steve Joseph, who has been restoring them since the late 1970s, said he appreciates them for their simplicity.
Steve Joseph is one of the leading members of the Bugs R Us Volkswagen Club. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)Bernard Daley polishes the engine in his 1964 VW which he has rebuilt from the bottom up, (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)Rawle Granger, originally from St. Croix, has been riding with Bugs R Us for five years. He brought his Lion King to the car show. (Source photo by Amy H. Roberts)
The car show, featuring motorcycles, muscle cars, a set competition, and lots of local food and drinks, continued throughout the day until closing time when rain doused the Coral Bay ball field.
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