Can't Start the Carnival

St. Croix celebrates Christmas from December 25 with a number of events that culminate in the adults’ parade on January 6, better known as Three Kings Day. Circumstances beyond our control prevented us from attending all the precursory events that included: horse races, pig roasts, water craft expos, marches (known as ‘tramps’), food arts and crafts fairs, crowing of the festival kings and queens, calypso finals and the children’s parade. Since we missed all this partying, we meant we were going to the adult’s parade—the main event.

The adult’s parade was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. The parade route began in front of a local school about a half mile from the destination town of Frederiksted. The revelry would make way through town and end at the ball field just north of town.

In hopes that we would arrive at end of the parade route at the same time as the first troupes, we timed our appearance in Frederiksted for 11 a.m. We reached our destination to discover crowds, but no parade. The festivities had not begun yet. No matter. To pass time we visited shops, viewed the food booths, and walked to the stone pathway on Strand Street that parallels the gorgeous Caribbean Sea. A beautiful day for a parade. (photo of harbor)

Two Elephant beers, two salt fish pâté’s, two banana fritters, a coconut ice cream cone and two and a half hours later, the parade had yet to begin. Not quite prepared for the long haul, we decided to head home and watch the parade on television. See photo 2

At a little after 2 p.m. (so much for the 10 a.m. schedule) the carnival parade began. An hour, several kings and queens and four majorette troupes later, we took a break. We had hoped to see dramatic costumes rather than twirlers. Periodic checks later did not disappoint. Checks at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 7p.m.—the parade was still going strong five hours later.

At 7:30 a bottleneck that became noticeable as the Trini Revelers troupe passed and evolved into to a full-flung traffic jam as the Divi Bay troupe attempted to make their way to the judges stand to perform for review. The crowd surged, rushing the Express Band (located somewhere off camera), and overcame the Divi troupe. Parade patrons took over the parade route.

“Vexed, vexed!” he would be, said the Channel 12 public television station announcer, if he were the Divi troupe because now they could not be judged.

Then he went on to complain of his hunger and how he would love a fried chicken leg (the co announcer agreed).

“But not in Styrofoam!” He hates Styrofoam. He then went on to wax nostalgic about the kind of packaging that gently cradled the chicken legs of his youth.

At nearly 8 p.m. the official festivities ended and thus did the broadcast. I imagine though that the night in Frederiksted was still young; Cruzan rum is inexpensive and delicious; and, after all, festival only comes once a year.