IT&E Exclusive Pika Sponsor for Tinian Hot Pepper fest

The 15th Annual Tinian Hot Pepper Festival will be held on Feb. 16-17, 2019, featuring live entertainment, competitions, local food sales, and more at Kammer Beach, Tinian. (MVA)

IT&E has signed on as the Exclusive Pika Sponsor of the 15th Annual Tinian Hot Pepper Festival on Feb. 16-17, 2019, in The Marianas.

IT&E will support the celebration, also known to locals as the “Pika” (spicy) Festival, with a donation of $2,000 cash and four Samsung J6 Pro with three months free service under their 4GLTE service.

“We are super excited to welcome back IT&E as a sponsor again this year for the Tinian Hot Pepper Festival,” said Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Christopher A. Concepcion. “This year’s phone package donations, each valued at $1,500, are very enticing, and IT&E’s generous cash support will also go a long way in helping to bring this event to our visitors and the people of Tinian.”

Various competitions highlighting hot pepper will highlight the festival, as well as other games. Other activities during the weekend will include live entertainment, a variety of local dishes for sale, and indigenous craft sales.

The 65K Pika Bike Race will be held on Feb. 16 at 6am and will begin and end at the festival site at Kammer Beach. To register for the 65K Pika Bike Race and avail of free ferry on Feb. 15, bikers may contact Alex Gozon at alexgozon@yahoo.com or 1.670.234.5416 or Dawn Sarmiento at dawnsarmiento@yahoo.com. Bikers from Saipan who register for the race will be able to travel on the Feb. 15 ferry to Tinian at 5pm.

The MVA will offer ferry service between Tinian and Saipan on Feb. 15-18, 2018. The ferry schedule is: Feb. 15, departing Saipan at 5pm and departing Tinian that evening; Feb. 16, departing Saipan at 9am and departing Tinian at 4pm; Feb. 17, departing Saipan at 9am and departing Tinian at 4pm; and Feb. 18, departing Saipan at 8am and departing Tinian at 12pm. The Super Emerald ferry will depart from the Commonwealth Ports Authority dock in Lower Base, passengers and must check in one hour before departure.

Ferry round trip cost is $25 for ages 3-11, $35 for ages 12 and older, and free for children ages 0-2. For one way, the cost is $10 for ages 3-11, $18 for ages 12 and older, and free for children ages 0-2. Advance ticket purchase is required and will be accommodated on a first come, first served basis. Ticket purchases may be made at the MVA Office on Tinian or Saipan. Cash payments only will be accepted.

The event is co-organized by the Tinian Mayor’s Office and Tinian Municipal Council and sponsored by Bicycling Association of Tinian and MVA members. Campgrounds are open to the public at Kammer Beach, which has restrooms, outdoor showers, and five pavilions with sink and barbecue grills. Available hotels on island are Tinian Ocean View and Lorilynn’s Hotel. Air service from Saipan to Tinian is provided by Star Marianas. Airport shuttle will be offered by the MVA to and from the festival site, which will be in San Jose village.

For more information on the Tinian Hot Pepper Festival, visit The Marianas Calendar at www.mymarianas.com or the MVA Facebook page, call the MVA Tinian office at 1.670.433.9365, or email MVA Tinian Field supervisor Vida Borja at vborja@mymarianas.com. (PR)