It’s one of the Caribbean’s greatest Christmas celebrations: the St Croix Crucian Christmas Festival, now in its 70th year. 

This year’s event runs from Dec. 11 through Jan. 7, returning in person for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. 

The U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) is proud to be the only destination in the Caribbean to host three carnival celebrations every year – each with its own flair and flavors, while providing a unique experience friendly for both adults and children,” says Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte. “The success of St. Thomas Carnival’s official in person return this past Spring, followed by St. John this Summer, has allowed the St. Croix Crucian Christmas Festival to return, with the due recognition of being the official close of 2022 Carnival season in the Caribbean and the season opener in 2023.”

The theme for 2022 is “Reflections of Culture Music Mas and Revelry,” according to Ian Turnbull, director of the US Virgin Islands’ Division of Festivals. 

Those concepts “represent the local people and our meditation over our history, the impact of these last two years, and return to celebrate our culture but also our resilience as a destination to always recover and return despite any obstacles we face,” Turnbull said. 

This year’s schedule kicks off with Prince and Princess on Dec. 11, with a full slate of events from J’ouvert on Jan. 5 to the Adults Parade on Jan. 7. 

It’s a beloved event that has its roots in the times when enslaved people in the USVI joined in Christmas celebrations, along with Puerto Rico’s Three Kings Day celebration. 

Indeed, the festival “represents a way of life in the Caribbean,” the USVI Division of Festivals says. “Visitors can celebrate with locals as they listen to music set to the rhythms of calypso, soca and steel pan music. They can dance with Moko Jumbies (stilt walkers and dancers), indulge in local delicacies, and experience all facets of the USVI’s diverse culture.”

For more, visit USVI Festivals.