‘Community has been yearning for the return of ‘Taste’’

Despite the new normal for Taste of the Marianas due to COVID-19, members of the community endured the long temperature check line, which stretched out for miles, just to participate in the festivities. (KIMBERLY B. ESMORES)

The hundreds of community members who cut a straight path to the Garapan Fishing Base over the weekend to attend the revived Taste of the Marianas confirms that the CNMI has been yearning for the return of one of Saipan’s staple festivals.

In an interview with Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Priscilla Iakopo, she said she was left speechless by the turnout at the 22nd Annual Taste of the Marianas, which was last held in 2019.

“I’m lost for words because you can very well tell that our community has been yearning for the return of the Taste of the Marianas. The last time we had Taste of the Marianas was back in 2019. We cancelled the annual event in 2020 because of the pandemic,” she said.

On all three nights of the festival, (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), traffic stretched for miles at both ends of the Garapan Fishing Base and cars littered the event’s vicinity. Excited community members even endured long lines at concession stands to get a bite of some of the best food the CNMI has to offer.

The Taste of the Marianas is typically held in the month of May but COVID-19 made that uncertain. However, following consultation with the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., MVA was able to push through with the event last weekend.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the 22nd Annual Taste of the Marianas festival held last weekend, the Marianas Visitors Authority placed sinks all over event grounds to encourage people to wash their hands. (KIMBERLY B. ESMORES)

The MVA did incorporate COVID-19 protocols, including temperature checks at both entrances, placing portable sinks around the festival grounds to encourage hand washing, and masks were required upon entry.

COVID-19 task force officers also patrolled the ground on all three nights to ensure that safety protocols were being followed.

Aside from the safety protocols, the Taste of the Marianas for the most part remained the same in terms of set up, with a beer garden still included in the festivities.

The highlight of this year’s festival was the competitions that were held for each day of the festival. The competition held on the first day of the event was the Escabeche cookoff, which paid homage to Saipan since the dish is one of the island’s delicacies.

On the second night, a Kadun Pika cookoff was held in honor of Tinian, the island known best for its deliciously spicy pepper, the Tinian Hot Pepper.

The last night paid tribute to the island of Rota, with MVA hosting a kamote bunelos eating competition, with the sweet potatoes imported from Rota specifically for the festival.

“We wanted to bring in a little bit of Saipan, a little bit of Tinian, and a little bit of Rota to this year’s Taste of the Marianas,” Iakopo said.

The MVA board approved up to $100,000 to host the 22nd Annual Taste of the Marianas but according to Iakopo, thanks to their many generous sponsors, she could confidently say that MVA did not spend the entire amount.