The Caribbean media company TEMPO Networks returns to its roots with its first-ever dedicated coverage of the USVI’s beloved annual festival.
Together with the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals, TEMPO Networks is delivering dedicated coverage of the 2026 St. John Celebration to audiences across the Caribbean diaspora and beyond. The collaboration, announced this month, coincides with TEMPO’s ongoing 20th anniversary celebration and marks a milestone for a company that was born in the Virgin Islands before growing into the region’s leading media platform.
Founded by St. Croix native Frederick A. Morton Jr., TEMPO Networks launched in the USVI and expanded over twenty years to reach audiences across the English, Spanish, French, and Dutch Caribbean through television, digital media, live events, and original programming.
“This is home,” Morton said. “TEMPO was born right here in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and for the past 20 years we have carried the culture, energy, music, and spirit of the Caribbean to audiences around the world.”
St. John Celebration, rooted in emancipation and cultural pride, is one of the Caribbean’s most significant annual festivals, drawing generations together through music, food, pageantry, and community storytelling. This year’s festival runs June 14 through July 4, spanning three weeks that honor both Emancipation Day and Independence Day.
As part of the partnership, the festival will designate an aptly named TEMPO Night in the Carnival Village, a formal recognition of the company’s contributions to Caribbean media and tourism over the past two decades.
USVI Tourism Commissioner Jennifer Matarangas-King welcomed the collaboration. “As a community we are proud of how TEMPO has championed Caribbean culture over the last 20 years,” she said. “We are excited to collaborate on storytelling that captures the authenticity, energy, and community spirit that make our cultural celebrations so special.”
TEMPO’s coverage will span event highlights, cultural features, artist interviews, and behind-the-scenes access across its television, digital, and social platforms.
The partnership deepens a longstanding tie between TEMPO and the USVI. Over the years, the network has produced notable activations across the islands, from Frederiksted Pier to Lionel Roberts Stadium.
For Morton, the anniversary feels personal. “It reminds us why we started this journey in the first place,” he said, “to tell our stories, celebrate our people, and showcase the best of the Caribbean.”
