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Hundreds savor Taste of Marianas
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Posted on May 08 2005
Not even the rain showers dampened the festive atmosphere at American Memorial Park, where the 7th annual Taste of the Marianas Food Festival and Beer Garden kicked off Saturday evening.
Hundreds of tourists and local residents turned up at the park to sample a selection of international cuisine and enjoy hours of free, live entertainment.
“We’re very glad that people are here to celebrate with us,” said Vicky Benavente, managing director of the Marianas Visitors Authority.
However, she expressed regret over the small participation from the hotel industry this year.
“It’s sad that only four hotels managed to join us this year. But we understand that most hotels are undergoing renovation and they cannot spare the manpower. Hopefully, the hotels will come back next year, when the renovations are done,” Benavente said.
The hotels participating in this year’s Taste of the Marianas are Pacific Islands Club Saipan, Saipan World Resort, Hyatt Regency Saipan, and Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach. At least 12 restaurants also serve a wide variety of food options at the event.
Adding to the fun are the weekly competitions.
Last Saturday, a three-member team from Saipan World Resort beat four other teams by posting the shortest time at the hotdog-eating contest. Team D’Elegance ranked second while Pacific Islands Club came in third.
The other competitors were Team Rush ‘Em and Hyatt Regency Saipan.
The Taste of the Marianas is an annual event started in 1999 as part of the Visit the Marianas Campaign. It is held from 6pm to 10pm every Saturday during the month of May. (Agnes E. Donato)
