ST. CROIX — Celebratory activities for Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Friendship are set to kick off Thursday with a gospel night.
An awards night, Family Fun Day and of course, a four-day Friendship Village featuring local and Latin music as well as V.I. and Puerto Rico cuisine are also in store for residents.
The VIPR Friendship observance is being held amid the wider celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month —from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.— with Oct. 14 celebrated as Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Friendship Day, which is a local holiday.
The holiday was created in 1964 in recognition of the unique relationship between the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico — which, at the time, was the source of the largest immigrant community in the territory, especially on St. Croix.
St. Croix Administrator Sammuel Sanes said the sacrifices made decades ago by Puerto Rican families who moved to St. Croix for a better life have also been an integral part of the development and rich heritage of the island and the territory as a whole.
“Our ties have strengthened and the celebration has evolved over the years into something bigger and better and we are very proud of the contributions of Puerto Ricans and Virgin Islander to improve our society and looking forward to continuing the tradition and celebrations for generations to come,” he said.
Luis Torres, the president of the VIPR Committee, said this year the celebration will honor past committee presidents over the last 59 years.
“These past presidents were the foundation of what we have today and we are grateful to them and excited to celebrate them and their accomplishments,” he said. “The village itself will honor former first lady Luz Maria Guadelupe Luis, wife of former Gov. Juan F. Luis, for her unwavering support of the organization.”
Torres said the Friendship Village, with nightly events kicking off at 7 p.m. at the Rudolph Schulterbrandt Agriculture Grounds in Lower Love, will be a great event for the entire family to enjoy and will include the opening ceremony, Salsa Night, the Arroz Con Pollo Competition, and music by DJ Pops, TSK, Xpress Band, Fiesta de el Batey, Unlimited Sounds, Omar Demorizi, VIO International and Hartatak, among the entertainment.
A Friendship Awards Reception is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 9, by invitation only. Vieques Mayor Alcalde Jose A. Corcino Acevedo will bring remarks and help present honorees with gifts, according to Torres.
A Fiesta de el Batey Family Fun Day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be held on Saturday, Oct. 12, and include Coney Island rides, quadrille, masqueraders, bomba dancing, gardening presentations, moko jumbies, music as well as free hot dogs and burgers. Home Depot will also host workshops.
“This is a tradition that we are all very proud of and as Hispanics and particularly Puerto Ricans, we know that our generations from before have been a part of this community for a long period of time,” Torres said. “The ties to this community go way back and it is up to us to keep culture and traditions alive and continue to showcase how each has affected and influenced the other.”