Hundreds flock Tuesday's Rise & Shine in Road Town

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Scenes from the 2026 Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival's Rise and Shine Tramp held today, Tuesday, August 4, 2026. Photo: Facebook

Revellers making their way along James Walter Francis Drive at the 2026 Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival's Rise and Shine Tramp held today, Tuesday, August 4, 2026. Photo: Facebook

Scenes from the 2026 Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival's Rise and Shine Tramp held today, Tuesday, August 4, 2026. Photo: Facebook

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- For the first time ever, Rise and Shine, another staple of the Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival, was held on a Tuesday. It was a huge success.

Before the crack of dawn, today, Tuesday, August 4, 2026, revellers and onlookers alike gathered behind their favourite bands to make the procession from Pasea Estate to the area behind Ralph T. O'Neal Administration Complex.

The procession swelled as it slowly but vibrantly moved along the route to the charge of local bands, VIBE, Ova Drive, and Xtreme Band; however, it appears as though VIBE had the largest following.

The event was made more colourful with the many costumes, powder, and paint.

Among the revellers was 2026 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Adaejah T. Hodge, who has been taking a well-deserved break from the track but has been unable to escape the cameras. Hodge was joined by her University of Georgia teammate and 400m hurdler from St Croix, Michelle Smith.

A success story?

The 2026 Rise and Shine Tramp can no doubt be hailed as a success, even though the Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism, Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith (R4), stated in March 2026 that a further review will be done on the Emancipation Parade and Rise and Shine Tramp.

"What we will do is that we will come back after the festival activity, and have a thorough review on where we are going with the festival, because I think we just cannot address the surface, because there are some additional details that we wanted to be able to go into," Hon Hodge-Smith stated.

30 Responses to “Hundreds flock Tuesday's Rise & Shine in Road Town”

Wellsah (04/08/2026, 14:40) Like (6) Dislike (10) Reply
a time was had! tola got woman sah!
Yah missing photos (04/08/2026, 14:47) Like (14) Dislike (9) Reply
Don't forget the big fight that usual occurs when these worthless activities go on. These kinda activities only attract certain crowds of people and usually them ain got no behaviour morals so I normally expect in fighting amongst such crowd's

Fun thing to note most these people especially the female fully know who got guns the bvi. That's why I don't study public out cry and politicians crying about gun violence. Everything a joke. Glad y'all had fun tho. Next year same buss head? I mean next year same time?!?
- Captain Obvious (04/08/2026, 15:36) Like (10) Dislike (4) Reply
  it was on facebook, and now there is a message going around about how they will block the bridge to deal with someone
ALL I SEE WERE (04/08/2026, 14:59) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
BOTTOMS IN DEH ROAD
Citizen (04/08/2026, 15:05) Like (22) Dislike (9) Reply
Our "culture" is so debased, that is why the bvi is a sinking ship
- ... (04/08/2026, 17:12) Like (3) Dislike (11) Reply
  I guess you weren't out there piping with the rest of us, you weren't throwin back batty, you weren't wukin a big ting, everybody could've wukup more than you back then. Why are we this way? We fete on Aug Mon-Wed. It's just what we did and what we do.
Xxx (04/08/2026, 15:24) Like (6) Dislike (11) Reply
So even the haters must admit the change was a great idea sorry I putting back in the vip
- No xxx (05/08/2026, 05:05) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
  ALL 13 MUST GO.
- @ xxx (05/08/2026, 09:30) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
  You are shallow.
I post parade my bad (04/08/2026, 15:33) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
Word is the place was stinker than road town sewage scent. Now that's a new record?
WHAT!!! (04/08/2026, 16:37) Like (22) Dislike (4) Reply
Usual nasty display of simulated sex .
Funny (04/08/2026, 18:24) Like (23) Dislike (8) Reply
How Most goes to bed at 1 AM to get up for 4:00 AM no problem at all but find it difficult to go to bed at 10 PM to get up for a 10 AM church service. You will find every single excuse on why not to get up to go to church but no problem going out to skin up.
- Hum (04/08/2026, 21:17) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
  did you know church and religion is the main reason to war
Judy (04/08/2026, 18:28) Like (6) Dislike (12) Reply
mostly non belongers
- @Judy (05/08/2026, 11:16) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
  As they are the producers of the prison popualion of murderers thieves ,prison escapees,poverty sexualtransmitted diseases in these islands of the Northern hemisphere..A cursed group of semi civility .
@citizen (04/08/2026, 19:20) Like (9) Dislike (5) Reply
Contrary to what they say, the BVI HAS NO CULTURE. They let all kind of people in and they F up our culture. Everyone use festival season as one big joke and excuse for their own personal gain.
y (04/08/2026, 19:32) Like (30) Dislike (9) Reply
Those women should be a shame of them self i wander if they have girl children
- @y (04/08/2026, 20:38) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
  Trust me they do have girl children and they raise them up just like them cus them have standards not morals...
  So basically single mothers making future single mothers. If them got boys then be prepared for an emotional future criminal with no defenders father figure thanks to their poor choices and pit bottom standards...
I would (04/08/2026, 19:39) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
Bet more than one person who killed some was there having a grand time. Feting with murderers is the new norm.
Looks can be deceiving (04/08/2026, 20:34) Like (4) Dislike (5) Reply
So u mean to tell me all the pretty gyal them with nice bodies is wa smelling like public toilet seat?

Wow
- some (05/08/2026, 11:16) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
  NOT ALL...I smell one sweet right through. She nice sah
- @ looks can be deceiving (05/08/2026, 15:00) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
  Can’t be . It’s ones that don’t bathe before jouvert and that should be a must if you part taking .
Scary movie (04/08/2026, 23:17) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
Times like these makes me glad I don't have a daughter cuzzz yikesss
Culture? (05/08/2026, 01:49) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
Well, this photo selection certainly suggests our culture is evolving - the women are boldly parading their bare assets while the men appear to have taken their roles as fully clothed back-up dancers very seriously.
I have no doubt that our God-fearing community as well as the Disney cruise passengers found this to be healthy family entertainment.
DON'T FORGET (05/08/2026, 02:34) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
We say we want to honor Ms. P legacy well we not doing this at all. How quickly we forget she never like this nasty behavior: https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/en/news/vi-festival-has-become-nothing-but-feathers-flesh-eileene-l-parsons-
tola (05/08/2026, 04:42) Like (2) Dislike (1) Reply
Smh
tt (05/08/2026, 06:30) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
Long ago juvia use to be batie rider and pumie shorts use to be respectful but is now i see what the late I par**on was saying this lawless period
Doll (05/08/2026, 13:52) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
This is pure Debauchery! Its like some type of demonic force has taken over their bodies. Look at how they are dressed or lack thereof. Perhaps, we need to get a nude beach and have their type of Jouvert be done there. That way, they can definitely do what they are actually simulating. I know the young people will do what they want when they want but i'm baffled why are there so much half naked older women at this morning Jouvert? What are they trying to accomplish? Are they being sexually starved at home? The standards have definitely dropped in this place! Too much loose bottoms, long breasts, cellulite was on display for the entire World to see. Some of y'all got up early for Jouvert but
always late for Work and Church. Keep it up because y'all will soon find out when Health Dept puts out its latest statistics for the Virgin Islands.
- Which beach? (05/08/2026, 16:32) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
  I say Brandywine bay it done almost direlict.
.... (06/08/2026, 14:58) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
that musta smell like pure axx! yuck

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Hundreds flock Tuesday's Rise & Shine in Road Town

30 Responses to “Hundreds flock Tuesday's Rise & Shine in Road Town”

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