Asa Bantan, Triple Kay, Nikki Brooks, Fusion Band And More On J’ouvert Morning Route Free Of Charge

ST. CROIX — There will be about four to five j’ouvert morning band troupes on the road this carnival, at first glance leaving revelers with little options to join the fun without paying a fee.

But partygoers looking to have a good time for what has become one of the most standout moments of carnival, will have multiple bands — from home and abroad — on the road free of charge, according to Davidson Charlemagne, chairman of the Crucian Christmas Festival Committee, and multiple posts on social media by Nikki Brooks, a local artist that made waves with her breakout single, Know Me Now.

Bands on the road for j’ouvert morning, which takes place on January 4, will include Triple Kay out of Dominica. The band will also back Asa Bantan, another artist out of Dominica, according to Mr. Charlemagne. Nikki Brooks, whose music has topped the Tempo Networks chart, is bringing back her big truck which dominated the road during Adults Parade festivities in January, 2016. With her will be Fusion Band, Fredo from Hartatak Band, and Shamall.

Over the past months, discussions spilled over to social media as residents debated a balance between j’ouvert troupes, which revelers must pay to join, and the tradition of dancing behind a band — at least for carnival, which comes only once a year — free of charge. There are varying opinions on the matter, but the debate seems to have worked for the betterment of festivities here: No less than 6 trucks are expected on the road come January 4.

The Crucian Christmas Festival events kick off on Thursday with the opening of the Festival Village at 7:00 p.m. See the final lineup here, and join us live for our coverage of both village and parade festivities.