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Mochitsuki Festival this Friday
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- Young dancers perform at Christmas in the Marianas on Dec. 23, 2016, in downtown Garapan, Saipan. The annual signature event of the Marianas Visitors Authority will conclude on Dec. 30, 2016, from 5pm to 10pm at Paseo de Marianas. (MVA)
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- A young caroler performs at Christmas in the Marianas on Dec. 23, 2016, in downtown Garapan, Saipan. The annual signature event of the Marianas Visitors Authority will conclude on Dec. 30, 2016, from 5pm to 10pm at Paseo de Marianas. (MVA)
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- Ballroom dancers perform at Christmas in the Marianas on Dec. 23, 2016, in downtown Garapan. The annual signature event of the Marianas Visitors Authority will conclude on Dec. 30, 2016, with the Mochitsuki Festival from 5pm to 10pm at Paseo de Marianas. (MVA)
The final night of the annual Christmas in the Marianas celebration will be this Friday, Dec. 30, at Paseo de Marianas, featuring the annual Mochitsuki Festival. The festival marks the season preparation of “mochi”—a dough-like substance of glutinous rice—for the Japanese New Year. Entertainment, games, and food sales will run from 5pm to 10pm.
“It’s been a very exciting Christmas in the Marianas celebration all month at Paseo de Marianas, and we invite the community to come down and celebrate the Mochitsuki Festival this Friday before we ring in the New Year over the weekend,” said Marianas Visitors Authority Community Projects manager Martin Duenas.
The public is invited to try their hand at “mochi”-pounding beginning at 5pm. “Mochi” is prepared in a hollowed-out log with a wooden mallet. In addition, this Friday’s entertainment lineup includes Saipan Awadori Dancers (5pm), Marianas Ukulele (6pm), Saipan Music & Dance School (7pm and 8pm), and FESTPAC Warriors (8:30pm).
Christmas in the Marianas, an annual signature event of the MVA, coordinated in cooperation with by Team PDI and PDM Promoters, is also sponsored and supported this year by T Galleria, TSL Foundation, RNV Construction, Kinpachi Restaurant, Japan Saipan Travel Association, Country House, Moby Dick, Furusato, S.P.E. Saipan, Inc., Misa Enterprises, Inc., KKMP, and Power 99.
During the evening, applications for the MVA’s “Marianas-chan” (Marianas child) audition will also be available at the MVA information booth near the stage. On Jan. 7, 2017, the MVA will hold auditions for “Marianas-chan.” It is open to children ages 4-6 to represent the Northern Mariana Islands in select promotions in Japan. The application deadline in Dec. 30, 2016.
For more information on the event, contact MVA Community Projects specialist Ryan Calvo at rcalvo@mymarianas.com or (670) 664-3200/1 or visit www.mymarianas.com. (MVA)
