Torchlight Procession to launch 71st Emancipation Festival Friday evening

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- The 71st Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival is set to officially begin this Friday, July 25, 2025, with the much-anticipated Torchlight Procession.

This year's procession will pay tribute to the late Mrs Elieene L. Parsons, OBE, a renowned cultural icon affectionately known as "Mrs P." Parsons made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Virgin Islands culture.

Participants in the torchlight procession are invited to gather at the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park by 7:00 PM, where the event will commence.

The procession will wind its way through the streets, illuminated by torches carried by participants and will culminate at the Charlie Neil Frett Festiville, which will be bustling with excitement and various activities that kick off the official emancipation celebrations.