Music, Mas and Tradition Return as St. Thomas Carnival Dates Are Set

The U.S. Virgin Islands Tourism Department, in collaboration with the Division of Festivals, announced the official dates for St. Thomas Carnival 2026 in a press release: April 26 through May 2.

Now in its 74th year, the annual St. Thomas Carnival will bring together residents and visitors for a week of cultural events celebrating Virgin Islands heritage through music, food and community traditions, according to the press release.

Traditional Carnival events will include the Queen and Princess Pageants, Calypso Monarch and J’ouvert. The celebration culminates with the Carnival parade through Charlotte Amalie, where masqueraders travel a 2-mile route accompanied by soca music and traditional Virgin Islands bands, the press release stated.m

“Carnival is more than a festival, it’s a powerful expression of who we are as a people,” said Jennifer Matarangas-King, U.S. Virgin Islands commissioner of Tourism. “Each year, St. Thomas Carnival brings together our local community, diaspora and visitors from around the world to celebrate culture, creativity and the unmistakable energy of the Virgin Islands.”