The commercial hub of St. James is Holetown. Historically important as the sire where the English first landed and claimed the land for their King. It was originally called Jamestown. Later it became known as the Hole, and then Holetown. The present day police station in Holetown was once James Fort, one of a string of fortifications built on the west and south coasts.
A yearly Holetown Festival draws hordes of people to St. James to celebrate the landing of the first settlers in February of 1627. The festival was first held on the 350th anniversary of that event, in 1957. The Holetown festival is smaller, and more locally orientated that the larger Crop Over Festival held in August. Nevertheless the Holetown Festival, held over one week in February, is extremely exciting, with it's street fair atmosphere, art and crafts exhibits, music and entertaining events.