Support pours in for Ukulele Festival

Island businesses and CNMI government agencies are stepping up to support the 3rd Annual Marianas Ukulele Festival, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017, at the Garapan Fishing Base.

Confirmed sponsors so far include the Marianas Visitors Authority, Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture, T Galleria DFS, Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan, radio station KKMP, Pacific Development Inc., Kinpachi Restaurant, Top Development Inc., IT&E, Island Training Solutions, Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC, Marianas Medical Center, Robert T. Torres Law Office, Serenti Hotel, Triple J Enterprises, Pacific Islands Club, Marianas Variety, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Dave’s Electronics, Star Sands Plaza (I Love Saipan), Herman’s Modern Bakery, and R&M Printers.

The Marianas Ukulele Festival is a fun, family event featuring continuous live entertainment, local food and arts and crafts booths, ukulele workshops/demonstrations, raffle drawings and surprises. It is free and open to the public.

Several highly established ukulele performers from Asia will be featured, including JazzoomCafe, Mariko Uchiumi, Yusuke Saito and Nanaco from Japan; Blues Lee, Vivian Kim and Ukulele Ensemble from Korea; and Vanessa Ding from Taiwan.

CNMI performers include the Saipan Community School, Alana’ia, Tata Lino Olopai and Ray Tebuteb, Sunset Cruisers, FESTPAC Warriors, Da Kine, Demalyn Pagarao, Jose Carreon and Juan Ichihara, and the Ukituki Band, among others. Workshops are scheduled from 12pm to 2pm, and open mic sessions will also be available for spontaneous performances.

Any ukulele players/groups interested in performing at the festival should contact Larry Lee at marianasukefest@gmail.com or telephone 285-7127, or Gordon Marciano at 285-1195. Anyone interested in supporting the festival through cash or in-kind contributions should contact the same.

The Marianas Ukulele Festival Association is a registered, non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and perpetuate ukulele music and heritage by bringing people of all ages together to share the love of ukulele music; and to create an avenue for people of all cultures to share the island warmth and Hafa Adai Tirow spirit through the enjoyment of music and culture. One of the goals of the annual Marianas Ukulele Festival is to establish the Northern Marianas as a regionally renowned cultural and entertainment destination.

For more information, visit www.marianasukulelefestival.org. (PR)