The V.I. Port Authority is launching the 2025 holiday season with two full-day Holiday Fest celebrations next week, staging one event at Crown Bay Center on St. Thomas and another at the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility in Frederiksted, St. Croix.
The first 2025 Holiday Fest at Crown Bay Center is set for Wednesday, December 3, from 10:00 a.m. to midnight. According to VIPA, the event will feature holiday sales at the center’s stores and over 50 local food, drink, arts, and crafts vendors. The schedule notes that the cruise ships Star of the Seas and Celebrity Xcel will be in port during the festivities.
The Crown Bay lineup includes live performances by local schools and youth groups, as well as music from Stanley & The Ten Sleepless Knights, When Band, and The Awesome Jam Band. A Holiday Fest Parade will make its way to Crown Bay, starting from the Doctor’s Choice Pharmacy intersection. The St. Thomas event also includes the lighting of the Christmas tree and gifts from Santa.
Three days later, VIPA will host 2025 Holiday Fest at the Frederiksted Pier on St. Croix, on Saturday, December 6, from 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. This event will also offer holiday sales and local food, drink, arts, and crafts vendors.
The Frederiksted Holiday Fest line up features Masqueraders, St. Patrick’s Steel Orchestra, Central High School Golden Voices, Guardian of the Culture Moko Jumbies, Rising Stars Youth Steel Orchestra, and SLT Legacy Majorettes. Musical entertainment will be provided by DJ Karl and Selecta Kuff, and Santa & gift distribution is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Live performances on St. Croix will include Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights & the Ay Ay Dancers from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., followed by Hartatak International Band from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Additional event information for both Holiday Fests is available at www.viport.com/events.
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