Celebrating ten years of the St. John Arts Festival, this year's Festival runs from
18 February to 26 February, 2010, essentially show-casing the culture of St. John and
its neighboring islands through the ages up to the present. Starting with a film shown
by thre relatively new St. John Film Society entitled "Sarayaku" on Thursday evening
at the Markeplace bringing yet another welcome facet to the island culture of today.
While the traditional Festival program commences on Saturday, 20 February at noon
in the Franklin Powell Sr. Park, Cruz Bay with the St. John youth steel pan band, the
"Love City Pan Dragons" followed by St. John's outstanding reggae band,"Inner Visions". Also, in the Cruz Bay Park, every day will be an exhibition of Caribbean
food and crafts to highlight the old established gifts of the people of St. John.
On Saturday evening at the St. John School of the Arts, 8:00pm-9:30pm will
be a collecrion oi short films by local film makers orgarized by Janet Cook Rutnik,
a well-known St. John artist.
St. John church choirs will perform on Sunday aftemoon, followed by the St.
John Quadrille Dancers and the children's jump rope team, the "Love City Leapers".
The highlight of the Festival will be the Caribbean Ritual Dancers at the
Westin at 8:00pm on Sunday evening.
Each day in the Cruz Bay Park will be a different band playing from noon until
4:00 pm, covering the wide range of musical talent of the St. John people.
At the end of the week, the National Park Service, under the direction of Denise
Georges, will be holding their annual FoIk Life Festival at the Annaberg ruins.
Not to mention a full program of live music at the many restaurants on
St. John (see Restaurant Live Music Series under the Program section).
Although staffed entirely by volunteers, significant support for maior artislic
events is gratefully acknowledged from the Virgin Islands Council of the Arts, as
is support from the Virgin Islands Department of Tourism for promotion of this
major St. John celebration in past years.
We hope you will enjoy knowing more about this unique island in the sun.
Sincerely,
Frank J. Langley, President
