Emancipation festival parade to be shifted from August Monday
The Emancipation Festival Parade will no longer be held on August Monday, as organisers move to separate the territory’s traditional Rise and Shine tramp from the daytime parade in a bid to improve timing, participation and overall presentation.
The announcement came during an Emancipation Festival Forum hosted by the Virgin Islands Festival and Fairs Committee last Friday, where Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism Luce Hodge Smith outlined the change and its rationale.
“We cannot change the tramp from August Monday because of the significance of it,” Hodge Smith said. “But we are going to change the festival date, or the parade date, from the August Monday.”
Under the new arrangement, the parade will be held on the Saturday following August Monday and will culminate the territory’s festival activities.
“We want to ensure that our festival is of a high standard,” Hodge Smith told attendees. “We have had it before, and this is also one of the reasons why we are here, because we want to enhance our festival celebrations by making some of the changes that we mentioned this evening.”
Organisers said the shift was necessary because revellers participating in the early-morning Rise and Shine tramp often overlap with parade entries, causing delays in the parade’s start time.
“We depend heavily on the same revellers who are in the tramp to be in the parade to get the parade started at a reasonable time,” Hodge Smith said.
The junior minister further noted that the parade has increasingly started late and ended at night, affecting visibility and presentation.
“You spent so much to pay for these costumes that we can’t see you,” she added.
Officials also pointed to tourism considerations. The Emancipation Festival falls during the territory’s slower season, and organisers said a well-timed parade could improve the visitor experience.
“We need to have something of substance, of quality, so that when persons come, they will enjoy it, and we ourselves will enjoy it instead of waiting and waiting and waiting for the parade to start,” Hodge Smith said.
The panel also discussed strengthening Emancipation Day observances on August 1. Hodge Smith told the forum, “We here in the Virgin Islands do not observe Emancipation Day, and I really would like us to start to observe Emancipation Day, which is August 1st every year.”
The junior minister also confirmed that organisers will assess the effectiveness of the new parade date after it is implemented. “If by chance it doesn’t work out, we go back,” Hodge Smith added.
The Rise and Shine tramp will remain on August Monday in keeping with a longstanding tradition tied to the 1834 abolition of slavery in the Virgin Islands.
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Can we also stop the pre-pubescent girls simulating sex during the parade. It is really nasty.
Only if we import decency which apparently is not a quality these Vi are choosing.
Lool you going wait on that
We got more baby showers than weddings here
Same showers ending up with young single mothers in 3-5 years . That or the father no even present at the shower loool
Unfortunately those prepubescent minors in festival dressing half naked and grinding are a product of their environment…
Especially if you look at the parents/parent (single mother/party girl mama or criminal/weed head papa) and in most cases no wedding ring bruh..
Just reproducing and making more problems for society
Does this mean an extra holiday? Think of this from an employers put of view…
I think they forgot it is an emancipation parade and they think it’s stt carnival parade. She was thinking about fete and $$$ not culture, how is she our culture minister and she killed Carrot bay, the only place where you can find BVI culture. She’s gotta go.
Until significant historical, cultural and moral education is taught and achieved, vulgarity will remain the authentic featrure of mis-guided celebration.
More, the education that is still being dispened is not teaching the particulars relative to history, culture, morals and decency.
We need to develop a greater appreciation and respect for the human body. As an artist I have spent a lifetime depicting the beauty of the nude. But sexual lewdness corrupts an otherwise innocent picture.
Before I begin a painting, or when instructing a life class, I cite these words of advice given by a past master of the figure:
“Take the shoes from off thy feet, for the ground you are about to step upon is Holy Ground”.
This is such a stupid decision, how can we undo it? I hate how they always make grand and permanent decisions without speaking to the people. NOT even a simple community vote on bvi community board. This isn’t what “the people” want and think is best. This is what YOU want and think is best.
I don’t have a position on this, bc I am not going either way, but whether you agree or disagree, something of this significance should have been ran through a survey to gain the views of the community then go with the general consensus . In this day and age where grannies to great grand babies have phones and access to electronics, I don’t see why the community was not given a say in this important cultural decision, no matter how YOU feel that it should go. Lead with transparency and consideration of others, involve the community, that’s all.
This is overdue, more people will take part. Change is hard and sometimes painful, but it is also an opportunity for growth, and transformation.
Everyone is afraid it may offend the vendors like RTW, Bobbys; however, they too will Benefit from the influx of people arriving over the weekend. Stock up your Road Reef Stores.
Some of troupes might not have been able to get away during the week. That’s another opportunity to grow the parade.
It’s also an opportunity for elders to take part, because there is no excuse for it to start on time. More bands, more DJ’s, more Cars with sound systems. Everyone should take part.
Luce Hodge-Smith what you are doing is not making any sense. You are giving the Rise and Shine tramp more priority to the Festival parade. Persons travel to the BVI with the intention of viewing the parade and not to take part in the tramp which has deteriorated over the years with distasteful revelling, attire and sexual acts.
May I suggest that the Saturday, prior to August Monday be the day assigned for the Rise and Shine Tramp. With the event being held very early in the morning, there would be little or no interruption to the traffic and business activities. Therefore would not cause any delays in the starting of the parade on August Monday. Please note that from the begining of time, in my childhood days, August Monday was the day assigned for the parade. As far as I can remember, there was no Rise and Shine tramps. Ms. Hodge-Smith please don’t do anything that you will regret.
I do not agree with this decisión. The results will be the same with lateness and wutlisss wuk in in the parade. How our celebration of freedom became a Tourism Product? Are we still on the dam plantation. Disappointed with who ever made this sorry decisión for me. Sickening
Sorry to hear this change, Wish the Rise and Shine activity was changed, the Saturday before Festival Monday.
PLEASE PLEASE set a date to evaluate the change…
Someone needs to redesign the Cultural Dress so it is more suited to twerking our Cultural Dance. Or at least some Cultural Dress Thongs.
Which of the two bears most significance the Rise & Shine Tramp or The Parade?. Make this move make sense please because it does not right now, why not move the Rise & Shine Tramp to Saturday and with adays rest have the August Monday Parade on Monday.
I’m not against change — especially if the parade will be organized and START ON TIME
Put the Jouvert Saturday morning
Have the CHURCHES do their thing on Sunday
Let the territory celebrate on monday
TRADITIONALLY/CULTURALLY the first Monday HAS been declared EMANCIPATION DAY —— so. WHY change it now — what are the benefits??
We ( BVI ) have lost ALL the things that should matter to us AS A PEOPLE and have been LED ASTRAY by those who do not know about LIFE in the BVI nor care about it
Big question in the “ air” WHO. IS a B V Islander
What is the “PRIDE” of identifying as a B V I slander ( as the TRINI /BAJANS ) do —- No matter what part of the world they go — THEY IDENTIFY as who they are !!
In other Caribbean Countries that does “ CITIZENSHIP “ by investment ( an ARAB holding a Caricom Passport — is STILL an ARAB )
Where is the CULTURE that we celebrate during Emancipation Holidays ???
Gotta go to CARROT. BAY —- we CANNOT let this suggested change happen —-/ especially in the manner it was done —- WITHOUT consultation/input from the people
I have another concern. How was the decision made to change the day of the parade. Was consultation made with the BVI community of the change. For the information broadcasted, it sounds like this decision was decided and confirmed by Ms. Hodge Smith soley. As a Junior minister, she should not be making such decisions for the people of the Virgin Islands. My advice is that a Town Hall Meeting to be held to hear the full community opinions and ideas. The suggestions are then put forward to the ministers and Leader of the territory for final decision.
We are truly losing our focus for culture and have become vultures. A saturday parade destroys our carnival. We have a gem with double promotion of the Soca Uber Cruise. We should not just give up our Monday. Feters have to work not sit in the BVI for 3weeks. The other Caribbean countries continue to figure it out. We have it put together. Remember Eileen Parson. All that is with us is for us. I agree with moving one of the rise shine to a Saturday. The main rise and shine should remain on Monday to continue to remind the youth from where we came. We want change so bad. Families travel for get together but you all are out of touch. The schools are starting earlier. Just look to the USVI. Maybe the goal is to destroy the cultural activities. We are trying to forget from whence we came family fun and festivities. Give culture a chance to continue to flourish. The parade start a little late but it is small. For once listen to the people.
I completely disagree with this random parade change. Luce was on a truck giving out candy. The Chief and her could put in some leg work in the sun while the candy melt. (Not dissing candy cause I like sweet) Walk the parade route three time if it late. Shake and smile with your constituents.
The body shamers, slimers and soca mamas in the last part of the parade anyways. They sleep too long and miss their band. They could walk up naked for all I care when night get them. Perfect timing for the undercover tolian pimps. Lastly who tell Carrot Bay Vendors to go in the Village is a whole … Again we miss the mark
I am wondering for whom the Junior Minister sought her consultation on the change of day for the parade. Is she trying to please a close comrade who regurlarly participates as a reveller or is it a leader of a band who wishes to promote its loud and no melody music with leud lyrics.
What about the Carrot Bay Cultural activities held on the Festival weekend. There was no consideration made for that community. It was disrespectful on her behalf and I think she need to apologise to the people in that district.
If the decision to have the parade on the Saturday following the Festival holidays, How will the people and visitors occupy themselves on August Monday, August Tuesday and August Wednesday. Ms. Hodge-Smith already stated that families travel abroad mostly on August Wednesday for their Summer vacation. When this happens, who will be present to watch the parade on Saturday. My family surely wouldnt be attending.
Be mindful Ms. Junior Minister, maybe you and your family might be the only attendees.