"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
Larina Loretta Jacobs-Lamothe has operated a booth at the August Emancipation Festival nearly every year for more than four decades. Asked this year about her favourite memory from that time, …
Continue reading “VI celebrates 190 years of freedom, thousands attend”
During this August Emancipation Festival, there is much to celebrate. Most importantly, of course, today marks 190 years since emancipation. This year also commemorates 70 years of Festival, an annual …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: 70th Festival is a time to celebrate and reflect”
Torch-lit residents clad in white marched through Road Town on Monday evening, ceremoniously commencing the 70th August Emancipation Festival. Under the sweltering nighttime humidity, more than three dozen people sang …
There will be much to celebrate during this year’s August Emancipation Festival. “We’re celebrating not just the 70th anniversary of Festival, but we’re celebrating 190 years of emancipation, 190 years …
The Virgin Islands went big this year for the 69th August Emancipation Festival, bringing both international headliners and VI artists to the Irene Penn-O’Neal Festival Village almost every night since …
The big stage in East End had its heyday during past August Emancipation Festival seasons, but organisers are moving away from hosting major acts there. Instead, they put more focus …
Throughout the challenges of planning the Carrot Bay Cultural Fiesta during the pandemic, the event remained relatively well supported. This year, it expanded into a three-day bash featuring a variety …
Residents had the opportunity to attend a variety of emancipation services on Aug. 6, including one at the Sunday Morning Well in Road Town, one at The Stickett in East …
In the coming days, we hope that everyone will partake in a post-pandemic August Emancipation Festival that promises to be one for the record books. But amid the revelry, the …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Much to celebrate, much to remember”
The 69th August Emancipation Festival kicked off on the evening of July 31 with a steel pan rendition of Bob Marley’s “One Love” and tales about the storied history of …
Dancing in the streets by the hundreds for the first time in years, the Virgin Islands community showed up in force to celebrate being outside together for the 68th annual …
Though the Covid-19 pandemic means that this year’s August Emancipation Festival has been scaled back dramatically, the observance is every bit as important as usual, and we hope residents will …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Celebrate emancipation, but please do it safely”
Though the celebrations will look notably different from typical years, the August Emancipation Festival will still happen in the coming weeks despite the complications of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to …
In the weeks since the world watched a white police officer kneel on George Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the response to Mr. Floyd’s death has rightly …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Black Lives Matter fight hits home in Virgin Islands”
For decades, we have encouraged residents during this season to remember the real reason for the August Emancipation Festival. As we do the same this year, we are pleased to …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: In Facebook age, emancipation is increasingly on VI’s radar”