Emancipation Garden Comes Alive With Annual ‘Challenge of Carols’ On Christmas Morning

Emancipation Garden on St. Thomas will come alive with the sound of caroling on Christmas morning at 5:45 a.m., as the Emancipation Garden Christmas Card, Inc., presents its 38th annual Challenge of Carols event, comprised of choirs, bands and other groups from around St. Thomas.

The roster features Banco Popular Chorale, Bethel Baptist Church Choir, saxophonist Brian Hodge, Harris Court Boys & Girls Club, vocalist Ezrikah Aska-Hodge, Hapless/Hopeless Carolieres, poet Louisa Mc Sween, Merry Carolieres, Party/Hardy Carolieres, Voices of Love and Yolanda Thomas.

Groups to be honored at this year’s event include the St. Andrews Men’s Fellowship, who will receive the Alexander Alec Lloyd Award for their annual concert of men’s groups and individual performers, which, according to the press release, “tends to encourage the significance of men to be more involved in the spiritual life of their family and community.”

The American Legion Choir will receive the Luther Robles Award for “devoting much of their time to caroling to the sick and shut-in across the island regardless of Christian denomination,” and the Esther Marks Award will be bestowed on the Gladys Abraham Elementary School Choir for their “performances and serenades during the season.”

Government-owned WTJX – Channel 12 will receive the Governor’s Award for their many years of “sharing the Challenge with the Virgin Islands and beyond through broadcast and social media.”

The day’s final award, which is given as a surprise “to a group or individual who contributes to the spirit of the season in some special way and represents it by action beyond a sense of duty,” will be received by the unsuspecting person or group.

Representing a small change from past years, the staging area has been modified in preparation for the inauguration of Governor-elect Kenneth Mapp and Lt. Governor-elect Osbert Potter. The organizers are encouraging the community to come out with chairs, as there will be space on portions of the platform to accommodate as many people as possible.