Jan. 4, 2008 — From the east to the west end of St. Croix, residents rose early, ready to celebrate the morning with music and dance. In Christiansted at 5:45 a.m., Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Knights were waking people with songs for the breakfast tramp. On the west end, at the same time, they were gathering at Hannah's Rest for the annual tramp J'ouvert, the biggest street party of the Crucian Christmas Festival.
"The force was all set and ready to go at six," said James McCall, police commissioner. "There are 50-plus police here and in Christiansted — I want everyone to have a safe New Year." McCall rode in the lead car of the tramp down the main street of Frederiksted.
The crowd was jumping in the streets of Frederiksted till close to 11 a.m., following their favorite bands. The volume was so pumped up, the trucks they rode on seemed to be shaking with sound.
Observers along the way stood on walls, balconies and roofs. Others ran through the crowd squirting water up in the air to come down on the bodies of the hot dancers.
The tradition of J'ouvert started years ago. People then as now came out in pajamas and nightgowns, greeting friends and neighbors.
Now, most people seem to plan their dress more, but it can still be outrageous. Some were seen dressed in drag, there were rainbow-colored wigs, superhero capes and get-ups that couldn't be categorized.
There were adult twins in ruffled baby panties and fishnet stockings. There was a grown man in a tight white tank and short red plaid schoolgirl's skirt.
When the popular Digital band singing "Jump Up, Jump Up" came through the intersection at King Cross hundreds of excited people danced shoulder to shoulder.
Radio 1620 WDHP had a truck decked out with huge speakers playing "Party Like a Rock Star." The bands did what they set out to do: get the crowd worked up into a dancing frenzy and have fun.
People were starting to literally feel the heat with the sun shining brightly by 9 a.m. Some doused themselves and dance partners with water from gallon jugs. The V.I. Water and Power Authority had a truck with personnel giving out J'ouvert towels for waving in the air. Carib Beer distributors gave out blue and yellow bandanas; XPress Band gave out yellow terrycloth J'ouvert towels.
After the event, two young girls said they and their friends were going to go to the "big dock" to swim or home to take a nap and rest.
The general feeling of some in the crowd was that attendance was down a bit from last year.
"I was not as impressed with the bands this year," said Ian James, who comes from Boston to St. Croix, where he was born, yearly for the festival.
"I enjoyed J'ouvert this morning," said Debbie Burton, who also returns every year. "The police have done an excellent job so far this year."
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