Borrowing traditions from the West Indies, Africa, and Europe, the music of St. Croix is a rich tapestry worth experiencing while you enjoy vacation rentals on this U.S. Virgin Island. If you are in St. Croix during one of its many cultural festivals, you will experience firsthand some of the exciting music and dancing this country has to offer.

Sunset Jazz

Are you a jazz music fan? Then you will love the Sunset Jazz Festival held in Frederiksted on the third Friday of every month. This free outdoor event hosts a variety of local and international jazz artists. You can also sample some quelbe jazz fusion, which combines the traditional island folk music of quelbe with jazz, providing a unique blend of music you will not hear anywhere else.

Jump Up

In the Caribbean, “jump up” is a fun way to say dance. St. Croix’s Jump Up Festival—held four times a year in Christiansted—is one of the most fun and entertaining festivals around. With the streets shut down to accommodate food vendors, bars, and arts and crafts tables, both locals and tourists alike flock to Jump Up to dance to the live music of steel pan bands. Be sure to check out the Mocko Jumbies, the stilt performers who dance and perform during the festivities as a means to ward off evil spirits.

Crucian Christmas Festival

Finally, the Crucian Christmas Festival is a month-long celebration featuring several concerts, pageants, and themed parades, including the Children’s Parade and Adult Festival Parade. These parades are overflowing with musicians and dancers dressed in colorful, elaborate costumes. Prepare to spend hours dancing, and then look forward to the fireworks display at the end of the festivities.

If you are unable to attend these festivals, don’t despair. In addition to a plethora of restaurants featuring live music throughout the island, St. Croix is also home to casinos, night clubs, and year-round parties where you can sample the best of the island’s many musical offerings.