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Marianas Ukulele Festival on Oct. 20
Calling all ukulele music lovers and uke jammers! The 4th annual Marianas Ukulele Festival—scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, at the Marianas Business Plaza in Susupe from 2pm to 9pm—promises to be an even bigger and better event this year.
The festival features continuous live entertainment, ukulele demonstrations, arts and crafts booths, food booths, and a raffle. As always, the festival is free and open to the public.
This year’s program will be focusing on local CNMI artists of all ages and skill levels, from professional entertainers to novice players. The Sunset Cruisers, Gus Kaipat and the Olomwa’ay Sons and Daughters, Marvin and Jay, Ed Johnson and Alana’ia, Da Kine, Jose Carreon and Juan Ichihara, Demalyn Pagarao, Saipan Community School, Domatsuri Warriors, and the Ukituki Band have been confirmed so far.
The Ukulele Festival Association is also partnering with various community-based ukulele instructional programs, such as the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs’ CNMI Arts Council, Joeten-Kiyu Public Library, and the Carolinian Affairs Office to provide greater access to formal ukulele instruction. Thirty scholarships for free ukulele lessons will be given away. Another goal is to get more ukuleles out into the community, so 15 ukuleles will be raffled off.
Festival partners/supporters so far, include the Marianas Visitors Authority, DCCA/Arts Council, T Galleria DFS, Island Training Solutions, IT&E, Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan, Burger Comer, Magliari, Robert T. Torres Law Office, Kinpachi Restaurant, KKMP, and PDI.
All ukulele players/groups interested in performing at the festival should please contact Larry Lee at larrylee33@gmail.com or telephone 285-7127, or Gordon Marciano at gordon@pdisaipan.com by Oct. 6, 2018. Anyone interested in supporting the festival through cash or in-kind contributions should contact the same.
For more information, visit www.marianasukulelefestival.org. (PR)
