Easter Parade Virgin Gorda

The newly crowned Ms.Virgin Gorda

Thanks to "The Welcome" (a glossy magazine-sized monthly guide to the BVI's) we made plans to attend the 50th Anniversary Grand Easter Parade which was celebrated in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, on Easter Monday. Our travels included dinghying to the Bitter End, riding The North Sound Express 11 a.m. ferry to the Gun Creek Customs and Immigration dock across and finding a substitute taxi to replace the one who did not materialize. Our new driver was very informative and helpful. He was also a good driver, which we appreciated on those incredibly steep mountain roads. We learned that the parade would probably not start on time at 1:00 p.m., that it would move very slowly. and that we would be welcome to walk along with the participants. He was correct on all points. He also told us that the parade would form again around 10 p.m. and repeat the entire route. We did not stay to find out. When we arrived in Spanish Town, we listened to a local band at The Yacht Harbor, walked through the parade staging area and enjoyed lunch. The parade started around 2 p.m. and was still moving along in fits and starts at 5:00 when we called for our cab. There was a great sense of celebration and family involvement. We were outsiders and spectators yet we felt very welcome. After going to the parade grounds, we walked back through the parade to meet our cab and saw many more of the floats, bands, dancers and ethnic groups represented, which included local residents originally from the Philippines and from Dominica. The 6:30 ferry took us back to The Bitter End, after a long and very interesting day!

The stilt walkers are known as mocko jumbies.

We enjoyed the steel drum band!

Costumed participants are called masqueraders and groups of marchers and dancers are known as troupes.

Miss British Virgin Islands, from Tortola, was crowned in August 2016 and competed in the Miss Universe Pageant
 in January in The Philippines. A bake sale was held recently to raise money for the local pageant.
We did not learn the details of Mr. G.Q.'s future plans.

Each troupe or band would stop periodically to give a performance and then resume marching.

Many participants were wearing this shirt. We finally asked what it says and what it means.....
"Don't Ass Me Up" means "Don't mess with me and my goals."

After marching the length of the parade, these enthusiastic and well-trained percussion
students from Tortola performed at the parade grounds, too.

Total concentration from this young musician.

Events earlier in April that were part of the Easter Festival included the Prince and Princess Show, the Ms.Virgin Gorda Pageant, the Calypso Monarch Competition, the Fisherman's Jamboree, and the Cultural Food Fair. We are so glad we could be part of the 50th Anniversary Grand Easter Parade, the largest event of the year in Virgin Gorda!