The Best of St. Croix
Three Kings Parade 2009
Part 1
The Three Kings parade is conducted every year on the feastday of the
Epiphany in the town of Frederiksted. This year, we entered the mileu close to
its finishline, near the reviewing stand.
A crowd was already formed sitting on their camp chairs under umbrellas,
waiting for the parade to begin.
Vendors made brisk business with food and drinks as the crowd waited.
V.I. Police bike patrol was on the scene, though not part of the parade.
The Governor John P. deJongh, Jr. and his entourage preceded the parade.
The Governor greeted many of his constituents along the way.
Following the Governor was the Lieutenant Governor Gregory Francis.
The first of the many queens in the procession.
The Three Kings themselves were among the crowd engaging the children.
Entries representing Virgin Islands and Puerto Rican Friendship.
A one man band entry saluting musicians and personalities of the old school.
The Mocko Jumbie.
The Mocko Jumbies of old would come down the street cracking their
whips. Fearful children heard the whips before they saw the jumbies
and hid, especially if they had been bad that year.
The Sparklelite Twirllers Majorette troupe from St. Thomas.
Rising Stars Steel Orchestra
The Masqueraders troupe takes us back to the days before Carnival in
the Virgin Islands. The Mocko Jumbies were part of these Masquerades.
Continued in Part 2