Some partied & some prayed as VI welcomed 2017
Beef Island
The relaxed, let your hair loose, dancing in the sand, beach bash setting on Trellis Bay, Beef Island was the preferred New Year’s Eve venue for several hundreds in the Virgin Islands.
The entire length of the beach front, from De Loose Mongoose to the final bar down south, was immersed with a fusion of musical entertainment, food and drinks, and of course the legendary Onyan Toriano Edwards, the former lead singer of the Burning Flames, on the main stand.
For hours, the well-known Antiguan artist belted tunes from yesteryear that had the grown and even the younger generations that came out to welcome the new year 2017 ending their year on a high note.
Then when many thought it was almost over, Onyan thrilled the crowd with “there’s a brown girl in the ring” with many participating and having a jolly good time.
While sentiments around were mixed in terms of the level of this year’s event, many were satisfied overall. “I enjoyed it,” a visiting tourist who is in the VI for the first time said, “especially Onyan, he sure knows how to make you dance!”
Another woman remarked that “I’ve seen better years.”
Other entertainment was by A Type of Toad, DJ Dagga among others.
Tortola
There was much partying on Tortola at the usual hot spots but many also chose to ring in the New Year in church.
The Seventh-day Adventist churches rang in the New Year earlier than most as the New Year began for them at sundown.
Among the many churches that Seventh-day Adventists flocked to was the Carrot Bay Seventh-Day Adventist Church where Head Elder Nigel Henry delivered his final sermon in that capacity. The congregation was told that for 2017 they should aspire to have the faith and trust in God as Elijah had.
Mr Henry also implored on the church to pay more emphasis on bringing back the youth, especially males, into the church for the New Year.
New Life Baptist Church in Duff’s Bottom and New Testament Church of God in Baughers Bay were two of the popular churches that many chose to attend to close out the year.
Virgin Gorda
In Virgin Gorda, one of the places to ring in the New Year was the Rock Café.
Patrons celebrated completing 2016 to the music of Lady Mix, DJ Lefty, Dj Millenium King and VIBE.
Anegada
Meanwhile, on the sister island of Anegada it was a bit more quiet this year as they rang in 2017. Most of the local residents attended church services as it seemed that Rhema Tabernacle in the Settlement was filled to capacity.
After church, a number of persons went to their favourite bars for a beverage while the few tourists on the island were already at the many small bars on the island eating, drinking and watching on TV how other parts of the word were ringing in the New Year.
Jost Van Dyke
Dubbed the number one place to ring in the New Year in the Virgin Islands, Jost Van Dyke played host to a large number of tourists as well as residents who attended the event hosted by Foxy’s Tamarind Bar.
After a mechanical problem with the Bomba Challenger ferry, delayed and relieved passengers from Tortola were taken to JVD for the action.
Offering entertainment were Spectrum Band VI, Final Faze, DJ Avalanche, Plus Sensation and DJ Dre.
According to a resident, “everything went well it seems as no one lost their life,” referring to the 2015 Old Year’s revelling after which the body of a Puerto Rican national was pulled from the water at Great Harbour New Year's morning.
13 Responses to “Some partied & some prayed as VI welcomed 2017”
Itakes no sense at all they are just filing themselves . Very sad dore
all
Some party
And some rob an thief but them ain rob an thief from the right person yet
I jus waiting to here when somebody tied them by them balls an the use it to tow them vehicle..