Economic woes dampen mood at 20th arts fest

The 20th Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival failed to generate as much following as it did in the past years.

While thousands of local residents and foreign visitors trooped to the American Memorial Park during the three-day festival, this year’s celebration failed to meet the number of people originally expected to take part in the Commonwealth’s biggest gathering for arts and culture.

The Arts Council anticipated to generate a crowd of at least 20,000 people for this year’s festival that started Friday and concluded last night.

Economic slowdown has been blamed as one of the factors which dampened the spending behavior of local residents and tourists.

In fact, the Commonwealth Council for the Arts and Culture failed to entice as much corporate sponsors this year compared to previous celebrations..

Festival organizers last year managed to solicit generous donations from corporate sponsors like Mobil Oil Marianas, GTE Pacifica and DFS Galleria.

But because of deeper financial difficulties faced by the Commonwealth’s business community this year, major corporate sponsors dwindled with Verizon Pacifica and Marpac Distributors Inc., taking the back seat.

Festival organizers said, however, that both Verizon and Marpac continued to donate generously for the festival although not as much as they did in the past years.

The Marianas Visitors Authority is the biggest government sponsor for this year.

The Commonwealth’s Flame Tree Festival is the largest annual arts affair in Micronesia, established 20 years ago to promote the arts and culture of all the ethnic groups in the Northern Marianas.

Delegates from Palau, Tinian, Guam, Marshall Islands, Rota, among others showcased ethnic and cultural presentation including display of art works and crafts.

The festival was highlighted by the presentation of the US Navy 7th Fleet Band. More than 600 US servicemen are on-island for a 10-day rest and recreational stopover of USS Chancellorsville and USS Gary.

The 20th anniversary of the Flame Tree Arts Festival convened craft and art creators in a single venue that played an important role in the CNMI, Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture Executive Director Robert H. Hunter said.

Present during the opening ceremony were Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Perry Tenorio and delegates from various public and private schools. (EGA)