Previous Story
20th Flame Tree Arts Festival set
|
Posted on Feb 06 2001
Following the dismal attendance of spectators and participants of last year’s Flame Tree Arts Festival, officials of the Commonwealth Council for the Arts and Culture moved back the holding of the biggest festival to April.
Arts Council officials are now soliciting participation from interested individuals and groups to sign up and register as preparations are being mapped out to ensure the success of the 20th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival.
Festival coordinator Cindy Macaranas said registration will begin today and fees will be assessed to participants accordingly while sites of all tent locations will be made available to interested parties.
Ms. Macaranas added early registrants will have the opportunity to select their location since requests are acted upon based on a first-come first-served policy.
Mobil Oil Mariana Islands Inc. has already signified intention to sponsor the annual event but the Arts Council is still soliciting the support of other private companies.
The Flame Tree Arts Festival is the biggest festival celebrated every year in the Northern Marianas where participants from other islands in Micronesia and the Pacific showcase traditional crafts and contemporary art display.
Participants to the Flame Tree Arts Festival provide visitors and community members sales and demonstrations, community organization and information groups.
Contemporary and traditional music and performances will be rendered by selected groups which will be available to provide entertainment throughout the festival slated from April 20 to 22.
Last year, Arts Council moved the holding of Flame Tree Festival to June in anticipation of the highest number of tourist arrival on the island.
However, several factors including the simultaneous school activities and the onset of the rainy season hampered the expected crowd of 20,000. There were only about 76 booths compared to 97 tents in 1999.
Ms. Macaranas admitted that last year’s celebration was only experimental. Delegates from Tinian, Rota, Marshall Islands, Guam, Palau and others participated in the three-day event. (EGA)
