The 2025 Folklife Festival is poised to put Virgin Islands culture, art and cuisine front and center beginning Saturday with a kickoff day at the Whim Museum on St. Croix. The festival is being presented by legendary quelbe band the Ten Sleepless Knights and coincides with the group’s 55th anniversary.
“This festival is not just about showing and telling, but about knowing and telling,” said TSK member and festival organizer Kendell “KC” Henry in a press release. “We are honored to host performers, chefs, and storytellers who not only entertain but actively engage with festival guests, sharing their crafts and knowledge to ensure these traditions live on with the next generation of Virgin Islanders.”
Henry told the Source Wednesday that the St. Croix community can expect a host of cultural activities during Saturday’s festival kickoff, including masquerade and moko jumbie mask making, learning how to plant the maypole and quadrille dancing courtesy of the Ay-Ay Cultural Dance Company. Attendees can also look forward to Virgin Islands storytellers, woodworkers and chefs. Admission will be free.
“This has definitely been an event in the making,” he said, adding that the Ten Sleepless Knights participated in the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C. more than three decades ago. Since then, he said, there have been several local variations put on by the University of the Virgin Islands Reichhold Center for the Arts, the St. John National Park and others.
“It’s definitely an honor and a privilege to bring all of these culture bearers under one roof, under one day, to showcase the Virgin Islands culture,” he said.
Those who aren’t able to make it over to St. Croix don’t have to worry about missing out, because the last weekend in March will feature moko jumbies, dancing and workshops on St. Thomas.
St. Croix events:
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Folklife Festival Kickoff from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday at the Whim Museum
- Cultural school tours at Alfredo Andrews, Eulalie Rivera, Juanita Gardine, John H. Woodson, Lew Muckle and Ricardo Richards schools from March 3-7
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Night of Bomba, Bamboula, and African Dance starting at 7 p.m. on March 14 at the Island Center
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A Crucian Taste, starting at 7 p.m. on March 15 at Fort Frederik
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Rock Your Style/The Splendor of USVI Madras starting at 7 p.m. on March 22 at Fort Frederik
St. Thomas events:
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The Evolution of the Moko Jumbie at 7 p.m. on March 28 at Fort Christian
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Night of Bomba, Bamboula, and African Dance at 7 p.m. on March 29 at Fort Christian
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Folklore Festival Workshops from 12 – 6 p.m. on March 30 at Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial Park
St. John events: to be announced.
