Holidays in the Virgin Islands
Ahoy! And welcome aboard! Stormy Pirates never takes and break and operates charters every single day of the year. But, if you’re looking for a reason to celebrate in the Virgin Islands, there’s no better place to kick back and indulge in a bit of a holiday celebration. In this corner of the Caribbean, the list of public holidays far outweighs those of the American mainland, so feel free to plan you vacation around one of the island’s holidays and party like a local!
Although Nepal with its 35 annual holidays tops the list for the country with the greatest number of official celebrations in a year, the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) isn’t too shabby with 23 of its own, not including three distinct multi-week carnival celebrations for each of the territories of St. John, St. Thomas and St. Croix. In addition, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) has its own list of 20 public holidays. Add to that a fun collection of pop-up “unofficial” holidays like St. Croix’s Valentine’s Day Jump Up, the St. Thomas International Rolex Regatta and Skinny Legs’ famous Halloween party and you have a full calendar of reasons to celebrate. It’s no surprise that many islanders are quick to say, “There’s a holiday for that!” Here’s a look at the complete list of “official” holidays.
Let’s start with November
Liberty Day, also known as “D. Hamilton Jackson Day” or “Bull and Bread Day”, marks the start of the month on November 1st in the US Virgin Islands. D. Hamilton Jackson, who hailed from St. Croix was a noted labor rights leader and a champion of the right to a free press. Veterans day follows on the 11th and on the fourth Thursday of the month, Thanksgiving is celebrated much like it is in the States with large meals and family gatherings, but for a special treat, head to St. John on November 30th to watch the Coral Bay Thanksgiving Regatta.
If basketball is your jam, plan to visit St. Thomas November 21st – 29th to catch the US Virgin Islands Paradise Jam
Thanksgiving Day is a great day to take a Boat Day to the BVI, because everything is open over there because the only holiday slated for November in the BVI is The Great March of 1949 and Restoration Day which falls on the Monday closest to the 24th, commemorating the historic demonstration that happened on Sunday November 24, 1949, when a procession of over 1500 Virgin Islanders, led by Theodolph Faulkner, Isaac “Glanny” Fonseca, and Carlton deCastro, marched through the streets of Road Town to the Commissioner’s Office (today known as the Governor’s Office) in protest of issues affecting the quality of life for native residents. Their efforts led to better political development in the Territory and the evolution of a more modern Virgin Islands.
December
Christmas, of course, is a huge holiday in both the USVI and the BVI, not to mention that it’s also a huge draw for vacationers who would rather sit under palm trees decked out in twinkling lights rather than bundling up in coats and boots to sing carols in wintery weather. While December 25th (Christmas) and 26th (Boxing Day) are official holidays, the entire Christmas season is marked by caroling events, Lighted Boat parades, pageants and special meals. Skip the usual traditions of sipping on eggnog or mulled wine and indulge in a more Caribbean twist like a “Coquito,” a tropical eggnog-like cocktail that is full of rum (No surprise there!) and a touch of milk, cinnamon and coconut. Round out the month with New Year’s Eve celebrations on the 31st.
To indulge in the spirit of Carnival, catch a flight to St. Croix for this island’s Crucian Christmas Festival which begins on December 26th and runs through January 4th. Stroll the festival village, cheer on the children’s and adult parades and indulge in lots of local music and food.
January
New Year’s Day is a paid holiday in both the USVI and the BVI and although football isn’t on the agenda in most households, resting from all the holiday cheer and extravaganza’s is on the minds of most islanders. (Though there are plenty of sports bars to catch your favorite football game if that is your wish!)
The USVI also celebrates Three Kings Day on January sixth. For many islanders, this holiday, which commemorates the visit of the three wise men to baby Jesus, is as important as Christmas and is celebrated with family gatherings, a large meal, music and gift giving. The USVI also celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the third Monday in January.
March
While there are plenty of unofficial St. Patty’s Day celebrations throughout the islands, Transfer Day is celebrated on March 31st in the USVI. The day commemorates the transfer of the islands from Denmark to the United States in 1917 for $25 million in gold coins. Officially, at 4pm on the 31st in 1917, the Danish flag was lowered and the U.S. flag was raised. Today, Transfer Day is celebrated with parades, concerts, exhibitions and festivals.
The BVI, in its tradition of celebrating the March equinox, also hosts an annual Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival which runs for one week.
April
While Easter can fall as early as March, most often the holiday occurs in April. The USVI has a more extensive official holiday period that begins on Holy Thursday and continues through Easter Monday. I remember once arriving on St. John on Good Friday and having a very difficult time finding anyone at the car rental agency to help me with the reservation I had made months earlier. Many businesses close early or for several hours of the day so people are free to go to the numerous church services that occur during Holy Week.
In the BVI, only Good Friday and Easter Monday are considered official holidays. Because it’s their tradition to give a work holiday to people after a religious holiday, the BVI also marks Whit Monday, the day after Pentecost, which occurs the seventh Sunday after Easter. Although Easter holiday is prime time for visitors, be sure to make specific inquiries ahead of time to businesses about hours of service so you’re not caught off guard.
Following the Easter holidays, Carnival on St. Thomas arrives with a flourish. (For 2025 it runs from April 27th through May 3rd) This annual celebration features a waterfront J’ouvert street dance with bands on trucks, calypso shows, steel pan music, parades, pageants, food and fireworks. It’s an incredible show of spirit and tradition not to be missed. Check out our previous blog about the St. Thomas Carnival.
May
Memorial Day is celebrated in the USVI, just as it is in the States.
June
June 19th, otherwise known as Juneteenth or Jubilee Day, is a federal holiday in the States and is also an official holiday in the USVI. The day commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States.
In the BVI, the Sovereign’s Birthday usually is celebrated on the second Friday in June. This holiday is marked by a parade in Road Town that features police, firemen, boy and girl guide troops, and various community organizations. Often, the Governor and his wife also host a garden party at the Governor’s residence. Later in the month, the BVI also celebrate the June Solstice. Because of the extended hours of daylight, this solstice holiday is full of beach celebrations, sailing events, and festivals. Definitely a day to indulge in a few frozen rum drinks!
Similar, yet more intimate than its sister islands, St. John’s Carnival begins on June 29, 2025 and runs through July 4th.
July
July 1st in the BVI is officially Virgin Islands Day. Celebrated since the 1950s, the day was previously known as Territory Day and honors the history of the BVI with calypso music and traditional foods.
Over in the USVI, July 3rd marks Emancipation Day, which recognizes the abolition of slavery in the Danish West Indies in 1848, and American Independence Day follows on July 4th. Both of these holidays mark the culmination of Carnival on the island of St. John, which includes a flurry of parades, food fairs, jumbies on stilts, and traditional island music. Not to be missed are the fireworks on the Fourth of July that always delight and surprise spectators.
At the end of the month on the fourth Monday, Hurricane Supplication Day is observed. Although this is no longer a paid holiday, it still appears on most calendars and is a reminder to islanders to pray for protection during the upcoming hurricane season.
August
While many holidays in the BVI are religious celebrations, there are quite a few historical and cultural holidays as well. The biggest cultural celebration in all of the BVI is known as the Emancipation Festival – or Carnival – which takes place in August. This two-week vibrant, colorful event features pageants, processions, food, music, horse races, a fishing tournament and a parade. In addition, the revelry begins with a three-day public holiday on the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of August. This time of “limn’ in the streets” takes place on Tortola, primarily in the Village and on the streets of Road Town. “The Festival,” as some call it, celebrates and commemorates the 1834 Emancipation of the slaves on Tortola and elsewhere in the Caribbean. If you’re looking to join in the fun, be assured that there’s something on the agenda for everyone to appreciate and a whole lot of culture to make you smile.
Although it isn’t exactly a public holiday, St. Croix has designated August 2 through the 16th as Moonlight Movies times. Head to the bandstand on the lawn of the Christiansted National Historic Site on the first and third Friday of the month from 6pm to 9pm and you can see some great feature films presented by the National Park Service. If music is more your thing, drive to the arts and cultural pavilion on Sunday evenings to watch the sunset while local artists serenade you.
September
While the USVI celebrates Labor Day just as the mainland does on the first Monday in September, the BVI chooses to mark the September Equinox with a paid holiday. Although no special celebrations occur, the day is a time for business to close so families can enjoy the outdoors together. This year it falls on September 22nd.
October
Columbus Day (the second Monday in October) which is celebrated on the US mainland has slowly been replaced in the USVI with a different focus, shifting from the ancient explorer to a more modern concept dubbed Puerto Rico Friendship Day. In recognition of the close ties islanders have with Puerto Rico, parades, public gatherings, official ceremonies, and lively festivities occur throughout the day, highlighting aspects of Puerto Rican culture and its influence on everything from artwork and dance to music and food.
At the end of the month on the fourth Monday of October, the USVI also recognizes the holiday of Hurricane Thanksgiving. This day typically marks the end of the Atlantic hurricane season and is considered a time of reflection and gratitude for being spared from violent storms. While no large-scale celebrations are planned, many families use this paid holiday to start preparing for the upcoming holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas or if there has been a storm, it’s a day to start repairing the damage that was done.
In the BVI, the third Monday of October marks two distinct holidays. The first is St. Ursula’s Day, which certain Christian religions celebrate, but the more common holiday is known as Heroes and Forefathers Day which reflects the Virgin Island’s history and culture. Pioneers in everything from agriculture and art to boat building and politics are honored on this day.
End Notes: We hope we’ve given you a bucket list of reasons to visit the Virgin Islands in the coming months and plenty of suggestions about how to enjoy some local holidays and indulge in a bit of local culture. When you’re planning your trip, don’t forget to visit our website and book a boat day with Stormy Pirates Charters (another local tradition!). Our promise to you is this: “We’ll put the gang plank down and escort you in style.”