Contests galore at 20th Tinian Hot Pepper Festival

A full repertoire of contests awaits revelers at the 20th Annual Tinian Hot Pepper Festival on Feb. 16-17, 2024, in the Marianas.

Coed beach volleyball kicks off Feb. 15 at 2:30pm along the sandy shoreline of Jones Beach in San Jose village, with teams of six people—including at least one female—vying for cash prizes of $250 for first place, $200 for second place, and $150 for third. Games will end before dark and resume at 10am on Saturday.

The festival opening ceremony will be held at 5pm with Lt. Gov. David Apatang and other dignitaries. The ceremony will also include a historic sister-city agreement signing by the mayors of Tinian and the town of Tubla in the province of Banguet in the Philippines.

The first round of the Triple J Hot Pepper Eating Contest will be held at 6:30pm on Friday, pitting 10 competitors against each other. Round 2 of the eating contest will be held on Saturday at 5pm. Contestants may join either round to prove their mettle. Tinian Donni Sali Band and other live entertainment will take the stage from 7pm to 11pm.

Contests on Saturday start bright and early with the Pika Run 2024 at 6am at Jones Beach. Registration is $10 for the 5K and can be made on race day from 5am to 5:30am at the start line. Cash prizes will be awarded in the Men and Women’s Divisions: $150 for first place, $100 for second place, and $75 for third place. The first 100 registrants will also receive a complimentary Pika Run 2024 T-shirt, and awards will be presented at 4pm. Registration can be made by emailing your name, division, and contact phone number to the MVA office on Saipan at communityprojects@mymarianas.com or calling (670) 664-3200 or by emailing the MVA Tinian office at vborja@mymarianas.com (use subject line: Pika Run).

The Estofao Pika (spicy chicken stew) Cooking Contest will begin at 4pm. Following Round 2 of the Hot Pepper Eating Contest at 5pm, the Little Miss & Mr. Pika 2024 will be held at 5:30pm for ages 6-11. Contestants will be judged on costume, Q&A, and overall stage presence. The JC Burger Eating Contest at 6:30pm will deliver for contestants who like their burgers spicy. Local musician Yobei Parker will set the stage for the Cha-cha Dance Contest between 7pm and 8pm, where contestants will be judged based on their hot pepper-inspired costumes and their dance moves. Other live entertainment on Saturday will include YORP Band at 8pm, Sugar King Band at 9pm, and True North at 10pm.

“We’re excited to have a full deck of contests lined up for the Tinian Hot Pepper Festival,” said Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Christopher A. Concepcion. “In addition, we’ll be opening registration early for most of the contests, so stay tuned for that announcement and get ready for a great weekend [on] Tinian.”

DOCOMO Pacific is the Exclusive Pika Sponsor of the 20th Annual Tinian Hot Pepper Festival, which is organized by the MVA in collaboration with the Tinian Mayor’s Office. Additional sponsors are JC Café and Triple J.

The festival pays homage at Tinian’s “donne sali” hot pepper and will be held at the Fiesta Grounds in San Jose, Tinian, adjacent to the picturesque Jones Beach and House of Taga, a U.S. National Historic Landmark featuring limestone monoliths carved by ancient Chamorros.

Ferry service is available between Saipan and Tinian for the event. Departure time has been changed to 1pm on the return trip from Tinian to Saipan on all days.

Feb. 16, departing Saipan at 8am and departing Tinian at 1pm

Feb. 17, departing Saipan at 8am and departing Tinian at 1pm

Feb. 18, departing Saipan at 8am and departing Tinian at 1pm

Ferry round trip cost is $20 for ages 3-11, $50 for ages 12 and older. For one way, the cost is $15 for ages 3-11, $25 for ages 12 and older. Children ages 0-2 are free. Children under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult, and tickets are non-transferable. Advanced ticket purchase is required and will be accommodated on a first come, first served basis. Tickets may be purchased at the MVA Office on Tinian or Saipan; cash payments only will be accepted. Interested parties may call (670) 664-3200 to confirm availability before purchase.

Free camping is available at Jones Beach, Taga Beach (toilets, barbecue pits, and outdoor showers available) and at the adjacent Tachogna Beach (barbecue pits, outdoor showers, and toilets are available).

The Super Emerald ferry will depart from the Commonwealth Ports Authority dock in Lower Base, Saipan. Passengers must check in one hour before departure. Each paying customer is allowed one free checked bag and one additional checked bag for $20 for a combined total weight of up to 70 lbs. One household pet of up to 50 lbs is allowed per paying customer, and 35 passengers will be accommodated per ferry.

For more information, contact MVA Community Projects specialist Ray Villagomez at rvillagomez@mymarianas.com, Tinian field operations supervisor Vida Borja at vborja@mymarianas.com or (670) 433-9365, or the Tinian Mayor’s Office at (670) 433-1802. (MVA)