Parade of Cultures attract four floats, six groups

Beach Road from the Carolinian Utt to the American Memorial Park was blocked for at least an hour yesterday morning when the 25th Flame Tree Arts Festival held its Parade of Cultures.

In all, four floats and six groups joined this year’s parade festivities, which attracted over 200 community members.

Kagman Elementary School, the Inatuas Dance Troupe, Marianas High School Class of 1986, and the Traditional Bull Cart competed in the float category. Office on Aging, Jaluit High School of the Marshall Islands, Remetau, Rota, Guam and Palau delegations, meanwhile, comprised the group parade.

CNMI community members and off-island visitors lined up the sides of the road to take a closer look at parade participants, which all kept their composure despite being under the sweltering heat of the morning sun.

Committee chairman and Arts Council director Cecilia Taitano-Celes said the turnout for the event was overwhelming because of the number of spectators and participants.

“We’re very happy that we’re able to attract participants and groups early this morning,” she said, adding that she is glad to find people that value culture as an important aspect of the society.

Celes said the winners for the best float will be announced today around 2pm.

Last year, the parade was held as part of the opening ceremony of a three-day festival. Now that the celebration has been extended to four days, Celes said the committee had to move the parade on a Saturday to give way for those who had to work until late Thursday.

Following the parade was the symbolic sailing of a Carolinian canoe from the Carolinian Affairs Office all the way to the festival venue by Micro Beach. Free rides of the canoe were also provided right after the ceremony.

At 2pm the booths at the festival grounds were judged vying for $500, $300, and $200 cash prizes.

Yesterday’s program started at 10am all the way down to 11pm.

The annual festival will end today and awarding of prizes will be held this afternoon. According to Celes, the community and visitors will have a surprise treat during the closing ceremony tonight that will start at 9pm.

The festival started last Thursday night and all roads led to the American Memorial Park, as more than a thousand people attended the first night of the 25th Flame Tree Arts Festival.

Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Daisy Villagomez-Bier earlier told Saipan Tribune that she was surprised that the first night of the festival drew a fair share of people, with the line of cars stretching as far as the Hafadai Hotel and DFS Saipan intersection.

She said the overwhelming turnout was due to the hard work and efforts of this year’s committee officers, including Art Council director Cecilia Taitano-Celes. Villagomez-Bier said her team has done a tremendous and wonderful job to make this year’s festival better and bigger.

Cars lined up and filled the grounds of the American Memorial Park as early as 10am yesterday and in the afternoon more vehicles continued to drive in and tried to find parking spaces, which eventually became scarce.

Visitors who have been trooping to the festival every year were amazed and impressed to find out that this year’s festival layout is bigger and wider. The festival spectators said the setup is more beautiful and bigger.