COP wins Taste of the Marianas booth contest

  Coral Ocean Point was adjudged the winner in the Booth Decorating Competition of the Taste of the Marianas International Food Festival and Beer Garden hosted by the Marianas Visitors Authority.

COP bested 14 other vendors in the annual contest that promotes the use of indigenous and recyclable materials.

COP was presented a wooden trophy after being declared the winner on Saturday, the last night of the festival. COP will have a chance to pay only 50 percent their booth fee or $150 should COP decide to take part in the festival next year.

COP staff said the idea to decorate their booth using palm fronds, coconut fruit, and bananas came from Rowena Torres, wife of Suwaso Corp. board chair Vincent Deleon Guerrero Torres.

“It took us a month of preparation and also teamwork to create a winning booth. Our efforts paid off so we’re really very happy,” the COP staff told Saipan Tribune.

COP’s victory in the Booth Decorating Competition comes a week after its food and beverage manager Ronnie C. Guevarra topped the Bartenders’ Cocktail Competition hosted by the Northern Marianas Bartenders Association at the Taste of the Marianas grounds on May 19.

Other winners of the Booth Decorating Competition were Tropical Chill, second place; Herman’s Modern Bakery, third place; and Fiesta Resort & Spa, fourth place.

Criteria for judging were overall look of the island theme presentation, 30 points; creativity, 15 points; originality, 15 points, use of local and indigenous material, 20 points; and use of recyclable materials, 20 points for a total of 100 points.

MVA managing director Perry Tenorio, in a separate interview, said the contest seeks “to encourage our vendors to decorate their booth not necessarily for the competition but for the community.”

“We extend our congratulations to the winners and also congratulations to the other vendors that tried and participated,” he told Saipan Tribune at the festival grounds on May 26.

According to Tenorio, the big crowd at the festival for all Saturdays of May speaks of the community’s embrace of the Taste of the Marianas. He noted that the event caters to both residents and tourists.

“Basically, it’s a wonderful family event and people just love to come here. We try to benefit our visitors as well. We look forward to seeing everybody next year,” he added.