Homeland Collections Portrait Gallery

The Festival started December 26 and ended January 8, 2000. Everyone had fun at the food fair, parades, village, queen contest, calypso elimination competition, tramps, quadrille dances and listening to the many bands. Plan to come down next year and see it for yourself!

Memories of Our Cultural Past, A Solid Foundation for Our Future

Miss St. Croix 2000- 2001 Essi Anya Gaston won the title on December 17, 2000. Prince Edd Laurent and Princess Elizabeth Johnson were also crowned. Monday, December 18, Crucian Festival Committee produced a Festival poster featuring Mae Louise Williams who was Queen of the Bands for last year festival from J and J Fun troupe. The costume is a colorful “La’Kota Woman – Mother Earth.” This year 2001 King of the Bands is Glenn Turnbull and Queen of the Bands remains Mae Louise Williams of J & J Fun Troupe.

December 22, 2000 The Romney’s Ville Crucian Christmas Festival Food Fair was held at the Christian “Shan” Hendricks Market in Christiansted, St. Croix. The food fair was named in honor of Romney Williams. Featured were most of the islands local foods such as kallaloo, fish and Johnny cake, roast pork, beans and rice, fungi and boil fish, potato stuffing, stew goat and seasoned rice, bull foot soup, red beans soup, salmon balls, roti, shish kebabs and souse. Drinks consisted of sorrel, ginger beer, maubi, lemonade, passion fruit, tamarind and spiked drinks such as coquito and guavaberry. The candies featured were sugar babies, sugar cakes, ginger sugar cakes, lozengers, tamarind balls and peppermint candies. Guava, guavaberry, coconut and pineapple tarts tempted the palates. Of course it would not be Christmas without our local “Sweet Bread.” What a day of feasting!

Adult Parade The parade this year was bright, invigorating, and wild. Everyone came out to the parade to feast their eyes on the sights and sounds of culture at it's finest. The steel pans had the troupes swinging, swaying and jumping to the beat. What a wonderful sight to see. The parade marshals did a grand job of keeping the parade moving. We hope that our pictures will portray to you, the fine parts of the festival. Enjoy!

The Romney’s Ville Crucian Christmas Festival Food Fair was held at the Christian “Shan” Hendricks Market in Christiansted, St. Croix on 22nd of December, 2000. The food fair was named in honor of Romney Williams. Featured were most of the islands local foods such as kallaloo, fish and Johnny cake, roast pork, beans and rice, fungi and boil fish, potato stuffing, stew goat and seasoned rice, bull foot soup, red beans soup, salmon balls, roti, shish kebabs and souse. Drinks consisted of sorrel, ginger beer, maubi, lemonade, passion fruit, tamarind and spiked drinks such as coquito and guavaberry. The candies featured were sugar babies, sugar cakes, ginger sugar cakes, lozengers, tamarind balls and peppermint candies. Guava, guavaberry, coconut and pineapple tarts tempted the palates. Of course it would not be Christmas without our local “Sweet Bread.” What a day of feasting and meeting friends!

A Little Bit of Old, and All That's New for St. Croix Festival 2002

The Blessing and Rededication of St. Croix's Government House St. Croix's Government House reopened with a rededication ceremony on June 4, 2000. The 220 years old building had a face lift at the cost of $12.7 million. Initial efforts to begin the project began under the Juan Luis administration and took six years to complete now under Governor Charles Turnbull. It is located in down town Christiansted. The building houses the governor's, lieutenant governor's and St. Croix administrator and his staffs' offices. The third floor will be the living quarters for the governor and his family when he is in St Croix. Other government offices will be on the ground floor. The color of the house is a bright yellow with trims of white and green. It is designed in classical 18th century baroque style with a large court yard. It is fully air-conditioned, with two elevators. The opening ceremony included a dress ball similar to one held on King Frederick's birthday on January 28, 1833. At that time it was a celebration of the first renovation of the building under Governor-General Peter von Scholten. The ball, held on June 4, included a cross section on the community dressed in formal attire. It was the only opportunity for the public to see all three floors. The ceremony included the clergy from various denominations. They blessed five skeletons and the House. The skeletons were found under the former carriage house in August 1998. The remains were part of a burial ground built over during the construction of Government House in 1740's. A scroll was also signed at Government House and is still being signed by all residents of the Virgin Islands. It will be placed in a time capsule at the end of this year and opened by future generations.

Memories of Our Cultural Past, A Solid Foundation for Our Future December 26, the Heritage Village opened in Christiansted with the Governor and the Queen of the Festival cutting the ribbon. Also in attendance was the Lt. Governor Gerard Luz James II, Congresswoman Donna Christian Christensen, Assistant Tourism Commissioner Pamela Richards and members of the Festival committee. Lawrence Bastian was also awarded a plaque by Governor Charles Turnbull for whom the village is named after for his active community involvement. The theme for the festival this year was “Memories of Our Cultural Past, A Solid Foundation for Our Future.” There were approximately thirty brightly decorated booths bearing the names of various estates in St. Croix. Each booth sold local foods and drinks. The village was opened from December 26 to January 7, 2001 with music and entertainment every night. Also for the children there was “Coney Island” with rides and games. The time at the village is a family affair. It is a time of meeting old friends and making new ones.

Copenhagen is known as The Queen's City. It is a beautiful city with many colorful buildings as shown in the pictures. Like England they have the changing of the guards in front of the Queen's Palace. There are many canals. The best known statue in Denmark is The Virgin Islands was owned by Denmark from 1733 to 1917. Denmark was one of the seven countries that has governed the Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands was sold to United States in 1917. This is how the Virgin Islands became the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tivoli is a world famous amusement park in Denmark. It was first developed in 1843. It is a beautiful place with many gardens. It is a cultural and festive meeting place. During our visit they were having a huge Jazz Festival. The story is that Disney for Disney World and Disney Land got his ideas for those amusement parks from Tivoli. What a beautiful place, especially at night!

East End of St. Croix United States Virgin Islands Point Udall is the most eastern part of the United States. This is where the millennium celebration took place at midnight and at sunrise - where the sun rises first in the United States