U.S. Virgin Islands Announce 68th Annual St. John Carnival 2022 Schedule of Events

Carnival continues in the U.S. Virgin Islands Marking the Emancipation of the people in St. John’s

ST. JOHN, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (June 7, 2022) – The U.S. Virgin Islands Division of Festivals  has announced the schedule of events for the 68th annual St. John Celebration.

St. John Carnival, also known as the St. John Celebration, the second of the three annual Carnivals among the major islands of the USVI will take place on June 26-July 4, 2022. After scaling back events in 2020 and 2021, St. John is proud to bring back the festivities in person following the success of St. Thomas Carnival this past April. Locals and visitors alike will gather around Cruz Bay for the majority of the events. Participants and spectators can expect traditional food and vendors, calypso and soca music, dancing, mas parades and more.

Ian Turnbull, Director of the Division of Festivals, said, “Being able to host the St. John Celebration and Emancipation Day this year is an exciting testament to how far we’ve come, and it signals a liberation from the pandemic much as it does from the historic oppression that July 3 and 4 represent.”

More details will unfold leading up to the event, but the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism is excited to share the main schedule as follows:

  • June 26: Pan-O-Rama, a pre-Carnival steel pan celebration; Food Fair featuring local vendors
  • June 30: Village Opens with more than 18 local vendor booths of food, drinks, family friendly day events and nightly performances
  • July 2: J'ouvert, the pre-dawn celebration
  • July 3: Emancipation Day Cultural Program
  • July 4: Parade Day and Fireworks

U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism, Joseph Boschulte, said, “The U.S. Virgin Islands is the only territory in the Caribbean with three Carnival celebrations annually. St. Thomas was a step in the right direction to return to pre-pandemic levels and we look forward to celebrating with our locals and returning visitors again.”

The Carnival celebrations on St. John dates back to the early 20th century and is a mix of African, European, and Caribbean traditions. In St. John, Carnival takes place during Emancipation Day, a local holiday commemorating the abolition of slavery, and 4th of July/Independence Day, the U.S. holiday commemorating independence. In 1960, the 4th of July celebrations on St. John evolved into Carnival and the festival lasted more than a week.

In between events, locals and visitors can enjoy the beauty that is St. John. Just a quick ferry ride from St. Thomas, St. John is easily accessible by visitors to the main cruise port. St. John is the smallest of the three islands made up of two-thirds protected National Park with 9,500 acres of rolling green hills and an underwater reserve. This tranquil world can be explored on more than 20 self-guided hiking trails or by snorkeling or diving its fish and coral-filled waters. The island also boasts some of the world’s most beautiful beaches including Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay. The main towns are Cruz Bay with shops and restaurants, and quaint Coral Bay.

For more information on the U.S. Virgin Islands, visit www.visitusvi and visit the festival page here.

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68th Annual St. John Carnival

 

About the U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands are an official U.S. territory in the Caribbean that consist of three individual islands – St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas. Perfect for leisure or business travel, the U.S. Virgin Islands are rich with culture, history, surrounded by breathtaking beaches. When traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. citizens can enjoy all the conveniences of domestic travel as no passport is required for U.S. citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the United States. Entry requirements for non-U.S. citizens are equivalent to entering the United States from any international country. Upon departure, a passport is required for non U.S. citizens. For more information about the United States Virgin Islands, go to VisitUSVI.com, follow us on Instagram (@visitusvi) and Twitter (@usvitourism), and become a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/VisitUSVI).