The BVI's 2011 Festival is from July 22 to August 6

The British Virgin Islands will be celebrating its annual festival celebrations on Tortola from July 22 to August 6, 2011 with a variety of activities.

The British VirginIslands (BVI) will be celebrating its annual emancipation festival from July 22 to August 6, 2011. This festival commemorates the emancipation of the slaves in British Virgin Islands on August 1, 1834. The first festival celebration was held in 1954, so 2011 marks 57 years. Every year, the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are public holidays and are significant days in the festival activities. The body that coordinates the entire activity is the Festival and Fairs Committee. The members of this committee work with the Minister for Education and Culture, now Honorable Andrew Fahie and the current Director of Culture, Mrs. Luce Hodge-Smith. Virgin Gorda has its own festival during Easter.

Official Naming of Festival

 The BVI has been naming the festival after persons who have always contributed positively towards the upholding of the BVI culture in festival. This year, the honoree is Titus (Rockey) Crabbe, a popular BVI calypsonian called the Mighty Rockey. The festival is appropriately named "The Mighty Rockey Calypso Festiville".

Theme and Slogan

Every year, the Festival and Fairs Committee asks the community to submit their ideas for the theme and slogan for the festival. The 2011 theme is "A Hearty and Glorious 177, Emancipation Age 2011" submitted by Simeon Pope. "Come and Play Mass with Class like we did in the Past" was the chosen slogan and this was submitted by Courtney Donovan.

Festival Events

The festival offers various fun-filled and entertaining activities that show the BVI's culture. Horseracing, a Calypso show, Rise and Shine tramp, the various pageants, a dance contest, Coney Island rides and games, Water Sports, a soap box competition, a Food Fair and exciting entertainers are some of the activities that the festival has to offer. The parades are also an important part of festival and brings out thousands of people to see the majorettes, mocko jumbies, dancers, favorite bands and floats. Since 1954, the festival hasincreased in the number of days and events. There are events in Road Town, East End and more recently in Carrot Bay. At every event, there is cultural food such as fried patties with conch, whelk or saltfish, fried fish, fried chicken and johnny cake, goat water or bull foot soup among other delicacies.

• BVI's 2011 Prince and Princess: The first event of the festival celebrations was the Prince and Princess show on July 17 and John Gomez and Rhekaaya Merry emerged as the big winners at the show. The couple was able to secure the awards for "Most Photogenic, Best Introduction Dance, Best Introduction, Best Futurestic Wear, Best Cultural Wear, Best Talent and Best Evening Wear".
• Gospel Fest: The Gospel Fest was held on the day before the official opening of the festival village. Local groups and artistes performed and the headlining acts were Papa San from Jamaica and Susan Best-Richardson from Anguilla.
• Village Opening: The festival village, locally called the 'village' was officially opened on July 22 with an opening ceremony. Local bands performing that evening included fungi band, the Razor Blades and Calypso bands, Xtreme and Showtime.
• Kiddies Fiesta: On Saturday, July 23, there was the Kiddies Fiesta, a Rotary Club of Road Town sponsored event where children have a fun day with a mini parade.
• Calypso Competition: Later that evening, the festival committee held the finals of the annual Calypso Show. Contenders compete with tight lyrics and engaging performance and at the end of the night, the Calypso King or Queen is crowned. The 2011 Calypso King is Luther Butler, known to his fans as Luther B. Luther B also won the competition in 2010.

Upcoming Events

Every night, the village will have live bands and fresh local food. No festival would be complete without a dance competition, so for the first time, there will be a "BVI Can Dance" competition on Thursday, July 28. The Miss East End/Long Look Queen Show will also be held on this night where the reigning Aneika Blyden will give up her crown. The annual Food Fair is set for Friday, July 29 and there will be lots of local food to enjoy. On Saturday, July 30, the BVI Motor Sports Association (BMSA) will host a soap box competition. Then, that evening, the International Calypso Show is set to happen with artists like the Sweeter Band, Ziggy Rankin and Sanelle Dempster.

• Sunday, July 31: This is a packed day because there will be the Freedom March and Emancipation Service in the morning at the Sunday Moning Well in Road Town. The day continues with boat racing at Fish Bay. The evening is set to be thrilling because there will be the Miss BVI pageant. This pageant is much anticipated and this year, there are five contestants. Riiva Williams, Ciara Christian, Abigail Hyndman, Shanett Browne and Washeema Guishard are the young ladies who are vying for the title that Sheroma Hodge currently holds.
• August Monday: The great August Monday falls on August 1, 2011. The day begins with the Rise and Shine Tramp which is slated to begin at 4AM. Revelers will dance through the streets to calypso and soca until 9 - 10AM. After the tramp is the annual August Monday Parade. Later that evening the East End/Look Look Festival Village will be officially opened.
• August Tuesday: On Tuesday, August 2, the BVI will wake up to another Rise and Shine Tramp in Road Town. Although the party-goers may be tired, they will head to the water sports activities and then the horseracing at the Ellis Thomas Downs in Sea Cows Bay. The action then heads back to the East End/Long Look Village.
• August Wednesday: British Virgin Islanders truly love to "Rise and Shine" because on Wednesday, August 3, they have another tramp in East End. The tramp is then followed with the August Wednesday Parade in East End.

Winding Down of Festival - Off to Carrot Bay

On Thursday, life goes back to normal because everyone goes back to work. However, activities continue from August 4 to 6 in Carrot Bay. On Thursday, August 6, the Winston Molyneaux Fisherman's Tournament, the annual Torchlight Procession and the evening entertainment are some of the activities. On Friday, there will be the Cultural Fiesta with Donkey Races and other traditional games. Saturday, August 6 marks the finale of the BVI's 2011 Festival Celebrations. Carrot Bay will host another Cultural Fiesta and plans to culminate the grand celebration with Poizon Band, Showtime Band, Tarrus Riley and Krosfyah from Barbados.

The British Virgin Islands has planned for an exciting and entertaining festival. Since the celebration is for 177 years of emancipation from slavery, the chosen slogan "Come and Play Mass with Class like we did in the Past" is fitting and we can be sure that the festival's participants will live up to this theme.