St. Croix Christmas Parade 2011

Guess who this is.

The best thing about the Crucian Christmas Parade is seeing people you know.  Especially when they walk right up to you, in their costumes and you have no idea who they are until they say your name.

This parade has always been about participating. Until this year, the crowd would usually flow out into the street, much to the chagrin of the authorities trying to keep us off the route. It wasn't just the paraders wanting to loosen up with friends, the watchers felt a part of the action too, trading drinks, kisses and hugs, and having a pic or two taken while the parade grinds to a halt, which by the way is standard practice every year.  All the troupes have to perform in front of the governor so the parade moves along in stops and starts. Getting up close and smoozing with the entertainers who passed is a given, dancing along and taking pictures with people in great get-ups was much easier before the powers that be put up the darn barricades.

All day we were trapped behind these metal fences that were bolted together and hard to hop.  Police were stationed at crossing points where they would let you cross as long as you weren't interfering with the flow.

Picture taking was difficult because only the press could get up close and personal.  One friend, on the wrong side of the barricade, told me all you had to do was sling two professional looking cameras around your neck and access was easy.  Unfortunately for me i only had my point and shoot.

Not to be outdone, i managed to find a spot where i could creep out into the street, take a quick pic, and rush back behind the fence. It was like playing hide and seek.

This year there were so many different performers it was hard to pick and choose the ones to publish. 






This guy with the Lion Head is one of my faves.  Every year i have a picture taken with him that i put on the refer in the kitchen.  He's our local pesticide man.  While this other guy had the eeriest eyes.

A local doctor

The get ups were great and the final tramp of the day was a bit harder to get involved in because of the barricades.  But those who won't let a few fences stop them were able to dance along behind Express Band after the last troupe passed by.

The hardest part of the whole day was trying to move around.  You couldn't walk up and down the street as easily to visit friends that were viewing from different locations, so i missed talking to a lot of buddies this year. Once you were in your spot you were pretty much stuck.

Even so it was a great day and a definite must do for those who haven't yet experienced carnival on St. Croix!


The holiday season is officially over.  Its a weird thing but until the parade is over i never feel like the year is done. Hello 2011 here we come.

Another friend and her child

looking back while tramping at the end of the parade

looking forward while tramping at the end of the parade