Highlights: August Monday Parade 2024
The August Monday Parade was successfully staged with nearly 50 entries of troupes, floupes, groups, and bands participating in the highlight event of the annual emancipation festivities.
Scores of onlookers lined the streets of Road Town as paraders put on a spectacle from Road Reef in Tortola to the Road Town festival grounds.
Recently crowned BVI royalties, including representatives from the neighbouring US Virgin Islands, were at the forefront of the parade marshalled by former legislator Alvera Maduro-Caines.
Legislators like Fourth District Representative, Luce Hodge-Smith, extended her contribution to this year’s event by actively participating in a troupe and providing a tent for senior citizens in her district. Other districts also provided senior tents, allowing community elders comfort and shade to watch the parade.
Things got underway shortly after 2 pm and concluded around 9 PM. Each presentation from parade participants took place in a fashionable order as the troupes, floupes, and mocko jumbies performed before sixteen judges stationed along the parade route.
A few royalty members, both past and present, could be seen extending their duties as dancers among the troupes, while sports cars with high-volume speakers and open front doors were part of the showcase. The territory will have to wait a little while for judges to announce the winning entries.
The August Monday Parade is the most traditional and largest event held under the 70th Emancipation Festival, which began on July 14 and ends on August 10.
The 70th Emancipation Festival is held under the theme: “Celebrate in Freedom and Live in Unity as the BVI Turns 70!” This theme celebrates not only 70 years of culture but also the 190th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the BVI.
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Thanks for the look! However, some items neede to be curtailed toO lawless the men wear clothes what happen to the women dont get me wrong the costumes were beautifull but you ladies are beautiful do not let your minds run away with you… Your bodies are Gods temple.
DAVID DID DANCE UNTIL HE STRIP HIMSELF BUT! IT WAS A TIME OF PRAISE TO GOD.HIS WIFE SCORN HIM AND GOD SHUT UP HER WOMB. THEN HOW MUCH NAKED NO ONE KNOWS!
if this is our ‘culture’, the bvi is doomed
Not one brass band in our parades any more.
Not even one piece of brass.
What a humongous step backwards the music of Carnival has taken, where million dollars sound systems and loud non sensible rubbish for music has taken over.
The days of the fife, scratch, Fungi and brass music makers are gone.
Along to with the hard working musician who had great musical taste, pride in what they played and produced and an internal powerful desire to create “good music..”
And that, despite the lack of millions of dollars that was not floating around the BVI in every corner to purchase million dollar instruments and sound systems. The musicians of those time had very little, but produced the greatest music the BVI ever witnessed and heard. Groups like the Trends and Vino Mar Sonics are testaments to that.
Are the schools’ music programs doing and producing what is expected of a music program, despite the cognitive benefits?
They have removed from duty the good music instrumental educators, whom they prevented from teaching to their maximum potential, for weaklings who understands not nor have the mental skills from which to teach and produce good musicians, unfortunately.
Sorry to speak truths, but truths are truths.
It is hoped the there will be an improvement and the territory will begin to see an improvement in its musical capacity and presentations, as it should be..
Festival not carnival.
Isn’t tribe a Trinidad big band known internationally???
All
I see
Thanks Mr Shadow Dawson for the incredible pics as usual and to bvinews for sharing them.
Unfortunately, there was minimum culture depicted for 70th Anniversary. Perhaps, we need to start planning for these festivities a year or two in advance.
I am not body shaming anyone but women need to be mindful of what they are trying to portray. There were too much hanging and showing, some of which should have had much more coverage. It was so distasteful and thats putting mildly. What in the name of VI Culture is this? Why show all that boobs when they are hanging almost to your knees or have your ‘t**t peeking on either side of your bikini but still trying to cover with a bag or water bottle? We still saw. There’s nothing wrong being attired in whatever you feel comfortable in or want to wear, however nobody enjoys seeing all that whilst trying to enjoy the festivities with their young children and/ spouse. By the way, how do you expect to get a spouse? Most men hate to be with a woman when all their goodies have been displayed for every Tom, Dick and Harry to see and explore. Then again, guess what Dick might love it because thats all he’ll be giving you…not his ring, nor his time but his d*&%k. You are what you portray. Aren’t you ashamed? Please be mindful and do better. Nope, i am not jealous, just dissapointed. Hopefully, we will get it right next year because we have already gone down the slippery slope of no pride, no scrupples, a set of souless people, just empty vessels. You know better so do better so as Virgin Islanders we can set examples for those who will follow suit in the next 70!
May God bless these Virgin Islands and all who make it their home. Peace & love to y’all.
@Doll
I once asked a friend why they would dress like this and she said “if we don’t like to see them, we can close our eyes or don’t come to the parade. A next said it only once a year the get to carry on as they wish. Funny thing about this, is those same young women will be on the beach with a t-shirt or tights and sometime both over their swim suit taking bout they don’t want to be exposed like that. Make that make sense.
Every year the same set of comments!!
I do think that it’s disgraceful for women to be in the public displaying their private body parts. I agree with all the comments made against women’s nudity in the parade. The men are clothed and covered. why can’t the women do likewise.
Interesting!