Officials at the opening of the Reole "Limping Jack" Cultureville in East End Long Look on Monday night.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, historian Dr. Quincy Letttsome pointed out the many unique traditions and symbols of the August Festival including the After midnight unofficial emancipation proclamation, and the sunrise symbol which made way for the sunrise tramp which signals the “Salute and greet” of freedom.

Deputy Premier Honourable Dancia Penn re-emphasized the reason for the festival celebration. She noted that “while we don’t want to live in the past it is important to understand the past to live in the future”.

Speaking of Frett, who the village has been named after, the 8^th District Representative pointed out his contributions over the years to helping to preserve the culture, saying each year he would portray a different aspect of the Virgin Islands culture.

7^th District Representative Dr. Hon. Kedrick Pickering also called for persons to be reminded of why festival is celebrated and quoted from a previous remark of the Minister for Education Hon. Andrew Fahie, that freedom was not cheap. He also called on those who travel abroad during festival to consider staying and enjoying the festival.

Minister Fahie also re-echoed the sentiments of freedom is not cheap and comes with a cost. He congratulated Frett for the village being named after him and called on patrons to come out and celebrate in the Limping Jack Cultureville.

Frett was presented with a plaque by Miss East End Long Look Aneika Blyden. Frett thanked the East End Long Look Festival Committee and others for bestowing the honour on him. He said the festival celebration is a serious occasion and it was therefore important to look back and bring it forward.

Following the opening of the village, entertainment was provided by the local VI Band, St. Croix’s UMB Soldiers and St. Kitts’ Grand Masters.

For the next three days, an impressive line-up of entertainment will be rolled out, starting with opening night DJ Dre, VI Band – a local band, UMB Soldiers of St. Croix, and Grand Masters out of St. Kitts. The MC was comedian Errol Fabian of Trinidad and Tobago.

On Tuesday, DJ Turbo will start the night off, followed by local band Xtreme. MC Bogle from St Croix will take revelers through a night of entertainment with the soca show featuring Biggie Irie of Barbados, Daddy Chest out of Dominica, Denise Belfon of Trinidad and Tobago, Ricky T from St. Lucia, the BVI’s Jamesy P, Tall Pree from Grenada, Fireman from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and BVI’s 2010 calypso monarch Luther B. Packed into Tuesday’s line-up is reggae night, which goes straight into jouvert, and features Shine I and Heritage from the BVI and King Yellowman of Jamaica.

The rise and shine tramp starts at 4am Wednesday, when revelers can jam to the sounds of UMB Soldiers of St. Croix. Action will continue in the Village with DJ Renegade, the Serenaders, Leon and the Hot Shots from Virgin Gorda and Bouncer’s Band from St. Thomas.