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Christmas Parade of Lights on Saturday
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Posted on Dec 14 2017
Students of Hopwood Middle School perform at Christmas in the Marianas on Dec. 2, 2017, at Paseo de Marianas. (MVA)
For a special holiday treat, the Marianas Visitors Authority and organizers of the Christmas in the Marianas celebration invite the public to the Christmas Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 16, after sunset in Garapan.
The parade will begin at about 5:45pm from Garapan Fishing Base north on Beach Road to the American Memorial Park, featuring at least eight floats adorned with Christmas lights. A number of school marching units will also join the parade with Christmas costumes. Immediately following the parade, a Christmas costume catwalk contest will take place at Paseo de Marianas, followed by the announcement of winning schools for the Christmas tree decorating contest and caroling contest held earlier this month.
The monthlong Christmas in the Marianas celebration offers weekly holiday entertainment for visitors and residents from 5pm to 9pm and is organized by the MVA, PDM Promoters, Inc., Team PDI, and other travel partners. The event also includes food and beverage sales by various vendors.
“We invite everyone to come out and enjoy the unique and beautiful sunset Christmas Parade of Lights,” said MVA Community Projects specialist and lead event organizer Lynn Sablan.
“Also, we are looking forward to awarding the schools on Saturday for all their enthusiastic participation in this year’s celebration. It’s going to be an exciting night!”
Dec. 23 will feature individual acts; interested musicians and performers may contact Sablan at 664-3200/01 to request to be scheduled.
The Japanese Mochitsuki Festival will be held on Dec. 30, marking the pounding of rice to make “mochi,” a traditional event in preparation for the new year.
Participating schools are Oleai, Koblerville, Gregorio T. Camacho, Kagman, and San Vicente elementary schools; Hopwood, Tanapag, Dandan, and Chacha Ocean View middle schools; Kagman and Marianas high schools; Agape Christian School, Seventh Day Adventist School, Saipan Community School, Green Meadow School, Saipan International School, Northern Marianas International School, and Grace Christian Academy.
For more information on the event, contact Sablan at jsablan@mymarianas.com or 664.3210. (MVA)
