Businesses hoping to cash in at the August Emancipation Festival celebrations reported a slower start than last year, but they said they expect a surge in interest to power the event into the weekend.
At concession booths fanning out in a horseshoe surrounding the main stage this week, several vendors agreed that the opening few days of the annual event had not quite matched the same period last year, which marked the 70th anniversary of the festivities.
“It’s been good, but this time last year was better,” Nicola Scatliffe, of Captain’s Table, told the Beacon on Monday. “Maybe that was because it was the 70th anniversary. But there is definitely a good vibe in the air.”
At Iris’s Place nearby, Harry Fahie encouraged more people to attend.
“People need turning out,” he said. “Come out and support the local performers.”
At Booth Number 12, Patricia Richards also pointed to a slower start this year.
“Last year was better at this point,” she said. “There was more support for the event then. But I think this weekend is going to be big.”
But Honey Thomas, of Guns & Chicken, said she has already been plenty busy in recent days.
“It’s been great,” she said. “And we are going to power into the weekend. Here we come.”
Daytime crowds
Organisers haven’t released attendance numbers, but Natalie Penn-Lake, chairwoman of the Virgin Islands Festivals and Fairs Committee, said the village has been attracting good crowds.
“I think people have come out in the evenings,” she said. “That’s when the bars come alive.”
She added that organisers will consider offering more entertainment in the late afternoon in the future.
“What I would say is that there is a lull at happy-hour time between about 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.,” she said. “There is not much going on on the main stage at that time. We were hoping that the booths might have entertainment at that time to entertain customers, so that is something we will be looking at for next year.”
Starting Friday, the opening weekend saw the traditional torchlight parade and the calypso competition along with performances by the likes of Trinidad soca group Kes the Band.
The largest crowds, though, are expected this weekend with International Reggae Night tomorrow and International Soca Night on Saturday.
On social media, some residents complained of prices of $50 at the gate to access the music in the village on certain nights.
But ahead of this year’s celebrations, organisers promised a series of good shows, saying they wanted to include diverse cultural events alongside performances from international artists and homegrown talent from across the territory.
This year’s slogan is “Embrace the past; let unity thrive as we celebrate our culture at Festival 2025.”