It is my understanding that the festival committee doesn't have any control over the time the village closes - that's VIPD's decision. Secondly UMB last year's roadmarch champs did play in the village they opened the village in C'sted. I am sure the Festival committee is happy that "flip the coin" overheard the conversation between UMB band member and the Festival President. PPL LET'S BE FAIR. You may not want to hear how many looooooooooong hrs. the committee works but it is the truth. Long hrs 0 no pay, no assistance and complaints, complaint and more complaints. Why don't some of you ppl join and help. The Festival board made a great point. WHY ARE WE NOT UP IN ARMS BECAUSE STJ GET THE EXAC T SAME AMOUNT OF $$$ FOR 4 DAYS VERSUS STX 11-13 DAYS (INCLUDUNG C'STED) AND STT GET ANYWHERE FROM 500k TO 700k FOR 5 DAYS OF VILLAGE. NOW THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT MATH. The parade starts late due to the troupes not being there on time. Should the parade be started with queens and marjorettes and 3 or 4 troupes? There will be numerous gaps. 75% of the troupes that are in darkness are the ones that are late. Troupes need to be on time!! I agree somethings could have been better but again as the saying goes "If you are not part of the solution you are the problem." or maybe this one is better" For every problem you present you need to have 3 solutions to correct that problem" So let's all lend a helping hand. I intend to!

Well I enjoyed the village last night. My aunt has a booth and she sold out because of all the people there. The village was packed! I enjoyed hearing the local calypsonians like Derby, Pat and Galloway. Lord Nelson was great! The problem is some people don't appreciate the cultural nights.

My husband is from St. Croix and this was my first time to the Island. I enjoyed the whole experience of the village, the people and food. Big-up to booth "6" for the Fried Cauliflower. Keep up the culture and great ambiance Macon, GA

Thanks for the comments even the constructive criticism. The committee works long hours to bring Festival to the world. @ Rasta VI - Reggae Bubblers and Black Star Band are LOCAL VI Artists. They put on a fantastic show and showcased at least five other LOCAL singers. But the crowd swelled to more than 6,000 when Mr. Vegas came to the stage! The question is, why do local people support international artists MORE than they support LOCALS? More people in the village means more profits for booths. Its clear international artists bring the crowd. @ JJJJ - The ST. J committee does a wonderful job YES, With the same funding as STX and only 4 days of village. STX has eleven. Would you feel better if we cut Festival to 4 days to concentrate the funds? I await your answer. @ Juicy Jay - Festival had nothing to do with any funds given to Tempo and Tempo was not involved in Festival. @ Island Boy - We have to follow VIPD rules that means close voluntary or be closed forcefully. On Reggae Night we begged for extra time and they said - "just this one time" - and allowed us to close at 3. @ VI 4 Life - where are you getting your information? I have not been on the Board for 12 years and I was elected. Please get your facts straight. @ All The usual day of a Festival board member, especially once the village opens is doing operational things all day and then being in the village all night. I get 3-4 hrs sleep a night and then maybe 2 more in the afternoon before going to the village. Some board members still work their regular jobs during the season. For this we get a lot of criticism and a lot of good will. But its done so Festival can survive. Are you ready to take up the torch? We welcome your participation! Well, its been fun I have to go to the Childrenâ??s parade and then village thatâ??s 15 hours of Festival work today alone! Don't get me wrong. I LOVE working for Festival and St. Croix! But if anyone wants to take my place I welcome you! I will be your assistant

keep hope alive?

I am appreciative of what the Festival Committee is doing. However, our Local Artists need to realize that variety is Spice. It would be boring to have only performers from St. Croix. Our Local Artists need also to know that if their intentions are to be productive they will need to explore and of course they would not be expecting to travel far and wide for the same salary as the locals. Somebody need to teach the some Social Skills and Culture Capital.

The Calypso Competition was WONDERFUL!! Magnificent! Entertaining! It was so inspiring to see the lyrics of caiso in such a unique and rhythmic pattern. The MC (Bogol) kept the audience entertained. Express Band, back-up singers and sax/horn players were equally great . The committee had everything started on time and it keep running straight through without little flaws. I laughed, listened, got serious and gave strangers next to me high-fives! It was also refreshing to see King Galloway and King Derby given time to perform. They are talented!!! Kudos to the committee members who gave formal recognition to caiso legends while they are alive. It was touching to see the level of appreciation on those gentlemen faces. Suggestions: Determine a better procedure to get ticket-holders into the venue in an orderly manner. "Thank God" there was a mature crowd at the event. 2. Someone should have been available to escort reserved ticket-holders to their seat. It is so annoying to be looking for your seat (I got there early) amidst so many seats. As usual there is no sign that someone can read and get a point of reference as to where their seat would be. Maybe this is a suggestion for Island Center, pass on the word. Congrats on a GREAT EVENT!!

It is nice to see website. I hope the Festival improve from the comments left. But seriously, why close the village at 2Am. That when things get going good

Seriously though, you all need to get with the times and get a Facebook page. A Facebook page is the easiest thing to make and manage. Plus it's the fastest and most efficient way to get information out. Not to mention it's also FREE. C'mon Festival committee, get it together.

In retards to Jouvert...i know it was streamed live via the internet. However, I was unable to catch it live, I am trying to look @ it now on the kalalloo website but it only has 14mins of the jouvert. I dont know who is under the Kalalloo website but I'm kindly asking the festival committee to please get the entire photage of jouvert and post it online. I was only able to view 2 out of the 6 bands. It will be greatly appreciated!

Jouvert looked GREAT, have me wishing that I was there. I was glad to see it streamed online. Keep on doing things like that for Crucians that are abroad and can't make it home for the Festival.

i just want to say i couldn't be there this year. so i want to thank you all for the hard work so i can veiw the festival. so thanks again my God bless you all!

This guestbook is old school. LOL. Post some pic & videos up at my carnival Facebook page -

Festival committee is full a *****! How u gonna have a reggae night with no LOCAL reggae Artist! Dats a slap in d face to all our Local VI artist who is puttin our islands on the map. It's bad enough that these Jamaican Artist don't recognize VI reggae..SUPPORT VIRGIN ISLANDS REGGAE ARTIST!!!!!!!!!!

Festival this year is not the same its a thing how the festival commitee always say they don't have money but still indeed they have various artists that cost so much money playing to our festival, I feel our culture is dieing slowly our local bands are not being paid and it discourage these local band cause I knw they work so hard and in return they get treated bad...How the festival village was put 2gether is terrible use the money it comes once a year and put together a GOOD FESTIVAL...Hopefully nxt yr will be GOOD....