A long holiday weekend kicks off Wednesday with Transfer Day. The Easter holiday then begins Thursday with Holy Thursday. Friday is Good Friday.
On Saturday, most government offices are closed as usual. Sunday is Easter and Monday is Easter Monday.
Transfer Day ceremonies, which commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the 1917 transfer of the former Danish West Indies to the United States, will be held Wednesday on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
"It’s probably the one event that helped to set the modern Virgin Islands. It came at a time of great economic downturn, and had repercussions on the culture, history and society," said David Edgecombe, an assistant to Gov. John deJongh Jr.
On St. Thomas, the ceremony begins at 3 p.m. on the grounds of the V.I. Legislature in Charlotte Amalie. Edgecombe said that in addition to music by the V.I. National Guard Band, the ceremony will feature a tribute to V.I. native D. Hamilton Jackson, who’s credited with establishing freedom of the press in the territory.
The St. Croix Landmarks Society and the St. Croix Friends of Denmark sponsor a Transfer Day Celebration at the Carl and Marie Lawaetz Museum at Estate LaGrange. It begins at 10 a.m. Brad Nugent, acting tourism commissioner, will give the featured address.
The ceremony also includes music by the Central High School Band and quadrille dancing and singing by a Pearl B. Larsen School group. The ceremony is followed by storytelling by Auntie Janice Tutein and at 2 p.m., a ruins ramble.
As always, campers are expected to show up in droves for the traditional campout at Cramer’s Park on St. Croix.
According to Housing, Parks and Recreation Commissioner St. Claire N. Williams, the Cramer’s Park facility is ready for the traditional Easter camping event. He said that minor repairs, including placing shower heads and enhancing the grounds, were complete.
"In particular, staff did some landscaping of the area around the cabanas and picnic tables that has helped to expose the sand and enhance the area," Williams said.
Lifeguards will be on duty, staff will be on hand to maintain restrooms and dispose of trash, and police will patrol.
On Good Friday, bars, restaurants and establishments that sell alcohol cannot do so between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. because it’s against the law. Those that violate this territorial law face a fine of up to $200 and up to a year in jail or both.
"Full compliance and cooperation of all establishments that serve alcohol is mandatory," Licensing Commissioner Wayne Biggs said.
All Innovative offices across the territory will be closed Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. For repairs, call 912 or 778-1742.
V.I. Water and Power Authority offices across the territory will be closed Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Monday. They are open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
WAPA cashier windows on St. Thomas and St. Croix will reopen at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, a half hour earlier than normal, to accommodate anticipated customer traffic at payment windows. The St. John office will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
WAPA’s automatic water standpipes will be available 24-hours a day throughout the holiday weekend.
To avoid long lines, customers with a personal identification numbers can make payment online at www.viwapa.vi. Payment can also be made at the drop boxes at WAPA customer service offices, by mail, or at participating banks.
Customers with electrical or water emergencies on St. Croix should call 773-0150 or 773-2250 extension 3056. On St. Thomas, St. John or Water Island, electrical emergencies should be reported to 774-1424 and water emergencies to 775-5873.
V.I. Waste Management Authority offices will be closed Wednesday through Monday. Offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday. For emergencies on St. Thomas and St. John, call 776-7971. On St. Croix, call 713-1962. Emergencies may also be reported at www.viwma.org/ReportAProblem.aspx.
All U.S. Postal Service facilities across the territory will be closed Friday. There will be no lobby service. However, Express Mail will be delivered, Postmaster Louis A. Jackson said.
On Saturday, some post offices will be open with their normal hours. However, there will be no lobby service at Emancipation Garden, Havensight and East End post offices on St. Thomas and Gallows Bay and downtown Christiansted on St. Croix. Customers may access their post office boxes.
All Banco Popular branches will be closed Friday and Saturday. First Bank and Scotia Bank are closed Friday only.
The offices of Delegate Donna M. Christensen will be closed from Wednesday through Monday.
