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Parade of Cultures on Sept. 24 on Saipan
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- The Carolinian community performs at the International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 17, 2016. The Carolinian and other communities will be featured as part of the Parade of Cultures in downtown Garapan on the final night of the festival on Sept. 24, 2016. (Contributed Photo)
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- The Samoa/Tonga/Fiji communities show their cultural pride and ethnic costumes at the International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 17, 2016. (Contributed Photo)
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- Members of the Chuukese community at the International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 17, 2016. (Contributed Photo)
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- Japanese and other ethnic food is sold at the International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 17, 2016, in Saipan. (Contributed Photo)
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- The community of Samoa/Fiji/Tonga performs at the International Festival of Cultures on Sept. 17, 2016, in Saipan. The festival is held every Saturday in September from 5pm to 10pm, at Paseo de Marianas and features hands-on demonstrations, live performances, arts and crafts sales, ethnic cuisine, and more. (Contributed Photo)
The Parade of Cultures featuring ethnic costumes will highlight this Saturday evening’s 2nd Annual International Festival of Cultures. The parade route begins at the Carolinian Utt in Garapan and continues north on Beach Road to Paseo de Marianas. The parade begins at 5pm, while participants are reminded to assemble at the parade starting point at 4pm.
“Our Parade of Cultures on Saturday will be a must-see for visitors and residents, alike,” said MVA Community Projects Specialist and event coordinator Ryan Calvo. “There’s no better opportunity to experience the sounds, sights, and flavors of our diverse community than the International Festival of Cultures, and we look forward to an exciting closing night this weekend.”
Following the parade, the festival will feature a full night of stage entertainment: the Chinese community at 6pm, the Japanese community at 6:35pm, the Korean community at 7pm, the Chuukese community at 7:15pm, the Filipino community at 7:30pm, the Hawaiian community at 8pm, the Bangladeshi community at 8:45pm, the Tahiti/Marquesas/Cook Island community at 9pm, Samoa/Tonga/Fiji community at 9:15pm, the Chamorro community at 9:30pm, and the Carolinian community at 9:45pm.
Other cultures participating the festival include the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. This year, the MVA and participating cultures has put equal emphasis on stage entertainment and hands-on experiences. The festival also includes arts and crafts and ethnic cuisine.
“Certainly, we couldn’t have made the festival available to the community without the partnership of our sponsors and supporters, both public and private. Our sincere thanks to them again this year,” said MVA managing director Christopher A. Concepcion. “The MVA’s signature events such as the International Festival of Cultures are an integral of our annual schedule to host events that attract or add value to the trip of visitors and give them an opportunity to mingle with the local community.”
The festival is sponsored by PDM Promoters, Team PDI, Division of Parks and Recreation, Department of Public Safety, Department of Public Works, Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture, KKMP, Best Sunshine Int’l, and Power 99.
