Freedom Island: Celebrating Emancipation Day on a Sandbar in St. Croix

Words by Jesse Serwer—

It’s Emancipation Day in the Virgin Islands today, and a few lucky souls will be celebrating on a sandbar off the coast of St. Croix.

Not just any sandbar, though: this one is rumored to have been frequented by vacationing stars like John Wayne in the 1970s, before disappearing into the sea. The landform, which comes and goes with the tides, has recently re-emerged, becoming the temporary home of the Heineken Party Boat, a hurricane-wrecked sailboat turned floating stage that has hosted Major Lazer during their seaborne Caribbean tour earlier this year (and, apparently from the photo below, a St. Patrick’s Day party).

Today’s event, dubbed Freedom Island, features sounds from local DJs Supa Traks, DJ Carl, DJ Cypah, Big Kat and DJ Troopah. It’s the first of what is hoped will become an annual event and, eventually, a multi-day music festival featuring regional and national acts, says co-organizer Daniel Nissman of Aqua Media. If, by some chance you happen to be in St. Croix right now, get yourself over to the Christiansted Boardwalk anytime after 11:35—and catch the ferry to Freedom Island.