Jan. 2, 2007 — Spirits were high in Huntville after dark New Year's Day for Latin Night at the Crucian Christmas Festival.
Families, couples and kids of all ages flowed steadily into Frederiksted's festival park, named this year in honor of Lenise Hunt, who dedicated many years to Festival as a volunteer.
. St. Croix's own Sabor Latino hit the stage at 8 p.m. playing merengue, salsa, bachata and bolero favorites of St. Croix's burgeoning Latin community. At first, the grassy field in front of the stage was spotted with 100 or more fans, some seated in lawn chairs, some standing and watching in groups and others dancing in place while they listened.
Dozens of sleek, clean motorcycles were parked by the entrance. Sundays and holidays when the weather is nice a group of bike enthusiasts from the Exotic motorcycle shop ride a circuit around St. Croix, finishing in Frederiksted, and Tuesday night they had just finished a New Year's Day run. They soon had to move on out as the crowed swelled from hundreds to thousands over the next couple of hours.
"It's a good festival this year," said Felix Roa. "There are lots of great events."
A native-born Crucian, Roa was raised in Mon Bijou but is a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and lives stateside now. He comes back every other year for the Christmas Festival.
"You can tell the crowd is feeling it," Roa said. "Sabor Latino is great. They are well rounded and the people enjoy them."
Sabor Latino played at his brother's wedding and later at the couple's anniversary, he said.
Food is a critical part of the culture, history and tradition of the Crucian Christmas Festival, and every native Crucian and regular holiday visitor has their favorite spot among the food booths ringing the festival field. One of the oldest is Elsie Blanc's Super Best of the West, food stand No. 12.
Blanc serves up chicken, roast pork, johnnycakes, pates and other traditional fare at the festival every year, along with passionfruit drink, peanut punch, seamoss and other fresh-made local drinks. She is helped by her daughters, Brenda Lewis and Sharon Kherat, who comes in from Illinois with her family every Christmas season.
"We have been cooking at festival over 30 years," she said Tuesday night, while taking round balls of johnnycake dough in her flour-covered hands and pulling them out into flat circles, preparing them to be fried.
"It's been a good year for me," she said. "But I am well established, so people look for me. Latin Night is always a good night. I love the people and music, and it is always a good time. Puerto Rico all the way. Once it gets going it's like a madhouse. We can never have enough food for everyone."
Blanc's daughter, Brenda Lewis, said this year's celebrations were going well.
"I see great improvement from last year," Lewis said. "There is more and better entertainment. The night parade was very cool. The Grand Band-O-Rama and the Party Monarch contest were great. The Calypso Monarch contest tomorrow (Wednesday) night has some major stars coming."
The activities seemed better planned and executed than in the past, too, she said.
"The government seems to be really cooperating to make things go well this year," Lewis said. "See the tents and tables? They were loaned by the Agriculture Department. Last year there was no place to sit. These make it much easier for the vendors and for the people coming. Mr. (Davidson) Charlemagne should be congratulated for how he has worked with all the booth owners."
Charlemagne is president of the Crucian Christmas Festival Organization.
Lots of kids were running around in the early evening hours. Blanc's grandchildren and their friends were running around the stand, eating burn-your-fingers hot johnnycakes, all golden brown outside, fluffy and steamy inside.
Kalim Lawrence, 11, a student at Ricardo Richards and a grandchild of Blanc's, said the carnival rides were the best part of festival — a view shared by many in the 10-to-13-year-old set. The spinning Gravitor ride was, without question, the best one, agreed Lawrence and his brother, Ian, along with cousins Walid Kherat and Jahmari Farrell.
Sabor Latino played until 10 p.m., followed by the Liquid Sounds Band. Then, at 1 a.m., the Krisspy Band out of Santo Domingo hit the stage, keeping the crowd pumping long into the wee hours.
There is a lot more to do and see before this year's festival draws to a close, said Melody Rames-Wiggins, public relations officer for the Crucian Christmas Festival Organization. Not all the festivities will be in the Huntville festival village. The Food, Arts and Crafts Fair will open in Frederiksted's Ann Heyliger Vegetable Market at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
"Don't forget to come out to the Calypso Monarch Finals competition," Rames-Wiggins said. "Seven finalists will be vying for the crown held since last year by the Mighty Pat. And three of the greatest calypsonians around today will be there, too: the Mighty Swallow, King Short Shirt and the Mighty Sparrow."
Filled with stinging political satire and biting social commentary, the show starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Island Center for the Performing Arts.
There is much more coming before Festival 2007-2008 winds up with the adult's parade Saturday. Go to stxfestival.com for a complete schedule of St. Croix Christmas Festival concert schedules, contests and parade dates and times, numerous photos and more.
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