Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival set for April 19

The 43rd Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival is set to begin next week, April 19, and will be held at the Garapan Fishing base.

According to Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture director Gloriana Teuira, the annual Flame Tree Arts Festival will revolve around the theme “Healing, Bridging, Prosperity.”

This year’s event, Teuira said, will be different as there will be more performers and the event will honor both living and fallen local artists.

“It’s going to be a little different from previous years because of the high demand for performers. We have a couple of groups that have retired over the years and decided to regroup and come back this year. The opening program will also honor local artists and artisans for sharing their unique talents and for helping perpetuate local culture, customs and traditions. Local singers Henry Manalo and Edwin Kaipat, folk artist Flowerpot Salas, traditional dancer Rosalina Ruluked and traditional weaver Pedro Matagolai are artists that have passed on, and we will be dedicating the Flame Tree Arts Festival to them,” Teuira said.

In addition, Teuira said with about 35 artists and 40 vendors participating in this year’s festival, the new challenge will be providing enough space for vendors and displays.

“The space at Garapan Fishing Base is a bit small for all the vendors and displays. We are now working with the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services to give us less of the required 12 feet for spacing of the vendors and booths. We are trying to work with them to cut it to six feet so we can extend and give the artists more space,” she said.

Teuira said the Annual Flame Tree Arts Festival is an important event that promotes local culture, customs and traditions.

“We must keep the culture alive, to keep it going, and try to interest the children, and convince them because they are the ones who will continue it.”

Among the main sponsors for this year’s festival are Bridge Capital, Bank of Guam, and the Marianas Visitors Authority.