A young resident of St. Eustatius watching the official fireworks display from the hillside
ST. EUSTATIUS--A range of activities took place in St. Eustatius on New Year’s Eve to ring in 2021. Many persons ventured out to either private or public parties and to the fireworks display that was organised by the public entity St. Eustatius and Kimuchi Fireworks.
Fireworks could be heard going off from the early morning hours to way into New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2021. Children and adults were seen having fun while setting off fireworks, while others complained about the excessive and unexpected noise. Especially animal owners complained about the fireworks that traumatised their pets for days.
Many people came out to watch the official fireworks display, lining up in Lower Town and on the hillside. There were many private parties as well where local bands and disc jockeys played the night away, sometimes until the late morning hours.
Persons were in the mood to relieve the stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, even though Statia once again has no active cases of the COVID-19 virus, as the last person who tested positive recently has now tested negative.
Members of the emergency services carried on their annual motorcade tradition. At the stroke of midnight, sirens of the emergency vehicles could be heard as they ventured through the streets. The Health Department truck was also part of the motorcade with health care workers drumming in the rear of the truck and singing “Happy New Year.”
Boats in the harbour area also honked their horns as the clock struck midnight.
