June 25, 2009 — July Celebration activities will ramp up Friday with a Festival Mix starting at 9 p.m. at the Winston Wells Ballfield.
The Children's Carnival Village opens Friday at the Creek. It features games and rides for children in an alcohol-free environment and runs through July 3. Rides will be set up in V.I. National Park Ballfield and cartoon characters will circulate.
Miss St. John will be selected at a pageant held at 8 p.m. Saturday at Winston Wells Ballfield.
Food Fair follows at 1 p.m. Sunday in Cruz Bay Park. Miss St. John will be crowned. Boat races start at 2 p.m. Sunday in Cruz Bay Harbor.
The July Fourth Celebration Village opens at 7 p.m. Monday in the parking lot across from the post office. The village will be open nightly until July 4.
Cultural Day begins at 3 p.m. July 3 in Cruz Bay Park.
J'ouvert starts at 4 a.m. July 4 in Cruz Bay. The parade gets under way at 11 a.m. July 4 in Cruz Bay.
Head to Cruz Bay to watch the fireworks over Cruz Bay Harbor. They start at 9 p.m. July 4.
The entire event wraps up at 1 p.m. July 5 with a Beach Jam at Oppenheimer Beach.
As St. John's July Fourth Celebration moves into high gear, Deputy Police Chief Darren Foy urged residents and visitors to stay safe.
"The V.I. Police Department has put in place an operational plan for the festival season. This plan is designed to ensure the safety of everyone who attends the festivities," he said.
According to a press release from the Police Department, traffic checkpoints will be set up around the areas where events are taking place. Police Department spokesman Melody Rames said this means at the ferries and in other locations on St. John.
"People driving may be stopped by police officers," she said.
Police will be conducting random searches.
Foy urged those attending July Fourth Celebration events to have a designated driver if they are drinking. They should travel in groups for safety, avoid dark areas and leave their grudges and animosity at home, he said.
"The police will have zero tolerance for drugs and any kinds of violence," Foy said.
He urged people to park in well lit areas if possible. However, since lighted parking is in very short supply in Cruz Bay, Police Department spokesman Melody Rames urged people who must park in dark places to travel in groups.
"Use common sense," she said.
Foy also asked people not to park, stand or stop in handicapped parking spaces and not to block sidewalk access ramps, fire hydrants, crosswalks, other vehicles, driveways as well as entrances to homes, businesses and public roads. There is no parking less than 15 feet from a corner or in specifically designated spaces.
Back Talk
Share your reaction to this news with other Source readers. Please include headline, your name and city and state/country or island where you reside.
