Nov. 18, 2007 — Against the backdrop of coconut trees gently swaying in the wind and luxury yachts cruising slowly by in the harbor, local artists took center stage in downtown Christiansted Sunday as the Blue Bay Jazz Festival wound down to a successful close.
Carole Laban had one thought as she took in the sights and sounds of Christiansted. On any other Sunday it would be a sleepy town, but on this day it was alive with melodious tunes stretching across the turquoise waters and echoing in various places around town.
"They should do this every Sunday until the holidays — at the least, have one band in the park," Laban said. "I just love it here. It's a nice place to come out and be with people."
She pointed out the neat expanse of cut green grass that resembles carpeting at Fort Christianvaern. Some residents brought folding chairs and sat in shady areas. Others sat on park benches nearby, while some sat on blankets — or just the grass — and got their groove on.
Laban was there with her sister Edna. The two eventually left the park to walk through the town where other local bands — Jazzy Blue, the Jack Petersen Quartet and Rhythmics Jazz Band — were jamming for residents and visitors alike, who crowded the various venues.
Dubbed the Christiansted Town Crawl, it abounded with live jazz, food and shopping specials. The event was part of the three-day Blue Bay Jazz Festival, sponsored by the V.I. Tourism Department and the Frederiksted Economic Development Association. Jazz artists were also featured Sunday at Cane Bay and Divi Carina Bay Resort.
In conjunction with the New Orleans-themed festival, Christiansted restaurants like Deanna's featured stewed crawfish and white rice, as well as fried catfish and jambalaya. At Club 54, an open grill was being fired up just before 7 p.m. when people who had been there since 2 p.m. began searching for something to eat.
It was just what Collin Hodge had hoped for.
"The idea was to have people come out, enjoy the jazz while boosting retailers by shopping and later get together at a restaurant for dining," said Hodge, activity coordinator for the Christiansted Retail and Restaurant Association, which coordinated the Christiansted Town Crawl.
Local acts were set up at intersections or in areas near the city's main thoroughfares: King, Strand, Queen and Company streets.
Queenie Hedrington, just outside Fort Christianvaern, was one of the many people who showed up early.
"I was here at 1:30 (p.m.)," she said. "I like jazz, and I wanted to get a good seat, because I know a lot of people here like jazz, too."
Away from the fort and on the boardwalk, where the crowd was growing by the second, Radio WSTA owner Athniel "Addie" Ottley relaxed with friends.
"I really enjoyed myself last night in Frederiksted," he said of performances by New Orleans' jazz greats. 'It was really, really great."
The weekend trip was a mini vacation, Ottley said.
"I went horseback riding, toured the rain forest, went to see the beer-drinking pig," he said. "Tell me, what are people complaining about that there's nothing to do on St. Croix?"
Ottley, a morning staple for radio listeners on his morning show, said he wouldn't be at work Monday because it was his birthday.
"I'm still enjoying the weekend, and this was a perfect gift," he said. "Coming here was a good change of pace, and to see for myself what's happening on St. Croix. I love St. Croix."
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