Liberation Day festivities kick off with 60-plus booths

Over 60 booths will be open to provide food, drinks, arts and crafts, games, and more at this year’s Liberation Day festivities on Saipan from June 30 to July 4, 2022.

Festivities will kick off with an opening ceremony at Garapan Fishing Base today, June 30, at 6:30pm at the festival grounds. Festivities will include live entertainment nightly from 6:30 to 10pm

“Our theme this year is ‘Honoring our Legacy as We Ride the Waves of Change.’ We never forget the past, especially what happened during World War II and in the civilian camps,” said Saipan Mayor David M. Apatang. “We have been through a lot as a community, including recent typhoons and the epidemic. We’ve ridden the waves of all that, and today we are getting back to normal and moving forward. This year I’m so happy that we are bringing back the celebration. I think our people are excited, and I would love to see the community come out and enjoy our Liberation Day festivities, including 30 minutes of fireworks on July 4.”
Vendors will include 3’S Maria Kitchen, A&E Ice Cream Rolls, Ana M. Tudela, Aofia Tuiolosega, Apu Restaurant and Catering, Beans & Bags/Coffee & Tea, CNMI COVID-19 Task Force, Chagi Norf, Chelu Retail Accessories, Chamorro Island Food Products, Chelu Shave Ice, Chow Time, Christiano’s Kitchen, Connie’s BBQ, Dee Clayton, Delores “Loling” Cruz, Nana’s Creation, Drift Bottle Cafe & Meal, Furusato Restaurant, Guam Army National Guard, Gupot Marianas LLC, Heavenly Bites, The Hut, Ina’s Kitchen, Isla Shave Ice, Island Flowers and Novelties, Fruitties Smoothies, Island Grindz, Island Snow, Java Joe’s, Jojo’s Avon Outlet, Jovan Fred, Kamakazee’s, Korean Restaurant Bab, Majesty Restaurant, Macpag Inc., Marck Catering, Marpac Inc./Unified Sports Org., Matty’s BBQ, Meals for U, Emiat Retail General Merchandise, Mind 2 Muscle, Northern Mariana Islands Museum of History & Culture Dunking Booth, Pepoy’s Restaurant, Plumeria Steak House, Pot Luck, RJ’s Pizza, Sherdome’s Island Grub, Sunshine Island, T Bar, Tahine’s Creations, Thai Fashion Shop , Tokie Mojica/Leyah’s Crafts, Crystals by Paul, Avry Marianas, Kaulia Ent., Talofa Lava, Priscilla Artworks, 670 Shop, Tyler’s Gelatte Stone, Vi-Lynn’s BBQ, and Yaya’s Baked Goods.

Liberation Day is celebrated to mark the permanent closure on July 4, 1945, of civilian internment camps on Saipan, when indigenous Chamorros and Carolinians were allowed to fully return to their land and lives following World War II. The annual commemoration is spearheaded by the Saipan Mayor’s Office and was last celebrated in 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Liberation Day Parade will be held on July 4 at 10am on Beach Road from National Office Supply to Garapan Fishing Base. Festival grounds will open at 9am. Fireworks will be held at 9pm on July 4 at Garapan Fishing Base.

For more information, contact the Saipan Mayor’s Office at saipanmayor@mos.gov.mp, 1 (670) .234.6208, or on Facebook@SaipanMayorsOffice. (PR)