70th anniversary celebrations to be held in St. Thomas April 27 – May 1, 2022
The Government of the Virgin Islands has announced that the 70th edition of Carnival Virgin Islands on St. Thomas will be held from April 27 to May 1, 2022.
The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism’s Division of Festivals reports that the official version of St. Thomas carnival will be held under the theme “A New Cultural Roogadoo for Carnival 2022”.
The scaled-down spectacular, due to the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights 70 years of carnival, and will shine a spotlight on the Territory’s dynamic culture, cuisine, history, music and people.
Ian Turnbull, Director of the Division of Festivals, announced that the celebration will follow the successful “Fête.Vibe.Soca” music event held for vaccinated patrons over President’s Day weekend.
“The vibe continues in Rock City this spring,” said Turnbull, who explained that the Division of Festivals, a unit within the Department of Tourism, had been established through Act 8153 by the Virgin Islands Legislature to organize and execute festivals on behalf of the Territory’s government.
“We are finalizing plans to promote and advance the Territory’s culture through the return of carnival and festivals in 2022,” said Turnbull, who announced that Carnival Virgin Islands will feature four village nights in honor of the late Ron de Lugo, the first and longest-serving Delegate from the United States Virgin Islands to the United States House of Representatives. Representative de Lugo gained Territory-wide fame for his radio persona, the wisecracking comedian Mango Jones, as well as for appearances in local plays and benefit concerts. In 1952 he used his radio show to revive St. Thomas Carnival.
