It's Carnival (Festival) Time on St. John, US Virgin Islands, Baby!

The St. John Festival is a month-long event that starts with steel pan performances & pageants, then builds up to the week of July 3rd (Emancipation Day) and the 4th (Independence Day). That final week is party time with the big events: the Village, the Food Fair, & the Parade.

Carnival is the biggest annual event in the Virgin Islands & throughout the Caribbean. In the US Virgin Islands: VI Carnival on St. Thomas in April/May; the St. John Festival in June/July; & St. Croix’s Crucian Christmas Carnival in Dec./Jan. In the British Virgin Islands: the BVI Emancipation Festival on Tortola in July/Aug. & the Virgin Gorda Easter Festival in April.

Here's an abbreviated calendar of the fore coming events:

18 June: The FESTIVAL PRINCESS PAGEANT at 6:00 pm Winston Wells Ball Field

24 June: Festival Queen Pageant at 8:00 pm Winston Wells Ball Field

25 June: Festival Food Fair & Coronation at 1:00 pm Franklin A. Powell, Sr. Park

25 June: Festival Boat Races at 3:00 pm Cruz Bay Harbor

28 June: Festival Village Grand Opening of O'Connorville at 7:00 pm St. John Festival Village

30 June: Festival Children's Village at 6:00 pm St. John National Park Field

2 July: Festival Poker Run at 12:00 pm Cruz Bay Waterfront

2 July: Festival Horse Races at 1:00 pm Clinton E. Phipps Race Track

3 July: Festival Emancipation Program at 1:00 pm St. John Festival Village

4 July: J'ouvert at 4:00 am St. John National Park Field

4 July: Festival Parade at 11:00 am St. John National Park Field

4 July: Festival Fireworks at 9:00 pm Cruz Bay Harbor

Visit St. John Festival Schedule: www.vicarnivalschedule.com/stjohn/