The St. Thomas Waterfront (Veterans Drive) in St. Thomas on Dec. 20, 2022. Photo Credit: NICK HEINEMANN/ORIENTAL BANK
Stretching from Pueblo Subbase along the waterfront highway to the Lucinda Millin intersection, the nearly 200 palm trees along the roadway on Veterans Drive in St. Thomas have been decorated in holiday lights.
Now in its second year, “Deck the Palms” Veterans Drive waterfront spectacle is a gift to the community from Government House and Oriental Bank, who engineered and funded the light display. This year, the project is additionally supported and funded by the Department of Public Works and the Department of Tourism.
“As we welcome the holiday season, this joyful holiday gift to our community and visitors to our islands, heralds many celebrations on St. Thomas, including Miracle on Main Street and the Havensight and Crown Bay tree lighting ceremonies. We welcome a bright and hopeful new year," said Governor Albert Bryan.
Co-sponsor Oriental USVI Regional Manager, Attallah Bertrand-Rogers, explained, “We wanted to create holiday magic for our community to lift spirits and make the season bright. We hope that the project will continue growing and include more streets and neighbourhoods making the season of lights ever more joyous.”
Along the new waterfront promenade, a display of bright red, white, blue, purple, and gold lights line the highway in a nod to the 2023 inauguration of Governor Albert Bryan Jr. and Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach, according to the release. The array of lights continues West on Veterans Drive through Frenchtown and back to Subbase with 10,000 twinkling solar fairy lights.
