Hammers and saws were all that could be heard on Tuesday morning at the Festival Village Grounds as workers scrambled to erect vending booths in preparation for the official opening of the August Emancipation Festival tomorrow.
Xavyrna Samuels, private secretary for the minister of education and culture, said that slow progress on the village, which was delayed by a lack of equipment needed to move the numerous containers cluttering the space, was just one of the challenges the Festival planners faced this year. Other hardships included a budget slashed in half— from $700,000 to $350,000 — and a shortened schedule.
“Our village was not ready,”Ms. Samuels said. “We had a lot of last-minute delays and obstructions that prevented us from constructing the way we anticipated.”
She added that the “Coney Is-land” rides and games intended for the village have also been de- layed but should be in place by this weekend.
The village delay was the reason the Prince and Princess Talent Show, originally scheduled for Sunday, was postponed until next Wednesday, “as we create a safe zone for participating children and guests in attendance,” organisers announced in a statement.
This year, the pageant is scheduled to feature ages 8-13. Besides the talent show, which includes competitions in vocals, dance and instrumental music, children will compete in a Junior Chopped Cooking Competition, vying for an $800 first prize.
Local spin
Ms. Samuels noted that, in spite of the constraints, this year’s Festival will have a uniquely local flavour.
“We’re going back to the things we used to do,” she said.
For instance, Friday’s Cultural Food Fair, set to take place behind the Central Administration Building, will include “a peas and rice competition; a crab section; live preparations,” she said.
In addition, a documentary was to be released yesterday on social media marking the anniversary of Aug. 1, 1834, when slavery was legally abolished across the British empire.
“We wanted it to be a documentary that involved cultural icons in different aspects of the Virgin Islands, talking about our emancipation celebration and what it means to us as Virgin Islanders,” she said.
In the village, however, Ms. Samuels noted that, since musicians who weren’t able to perform last year due to flooding have honoured their contracts, the entertainment line-up will be as strong as ever.
Parade preparations
Meanwhile, across the territory, preparations were being made for the coming week of music, food and festivities, many of which will take on added poignancy in the aftermath of last year’s natural disasters.
Sylvanna Charles, an instructor at BVI Dance School, was busy preparing her troupe for the August Monday Parade.
Troupe members, who weren’t able to perform last year because of flooding that stopped the parade, have made their routine a salute to the BVI Elec- tricity Corporation and other workers who helped restore power to the territory after Hurricane Irma.
“Seeing BVIEC workers and those from abroad and down island who came to assist working tirelessly, day and night, Monday through Sunday, in getting the territory’s electricity grid back up and running was the inspiration,” she said.
Calypso and beyond
Other events will have new formats this year, such as the Miss BVI event on Sunday, which will feature a coronation rather than a full pageant, according to Ms. Samuels.
And the five calypsonians who performed at Pancake Paradise on Saturday weren’t competing, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t command a crowd.
Eustace “Colosso” Freeman, last year’s calypso king and organiser of this year’s show, said that despite the changed format, to a “review” instead of a competition, he was delighted with how the concert went.
“It was awesome, well supported, and the social calypso songs were well received,” he said.
In total, four calypsonians performed besides Mr. Freeman himself: Queen Makisha, Queen Shereen, King Paido, and Tino. According to Mr. Freeman, all of them were former kings and queens, having been previous winners of the competition.
He added that he expects the competition aspect of the calypso show to return next year.
All in all,Ms. Samuels said,“We want to promote a lot of local aspects within the Festival this year.”
“I think the committee did a very good job in putting on a production with this size, with the money that we had, and ensuring that we won’t go over,” she said. “It’s a very compact Festival. I just want to encourage persons to come out.”