CHILDREN and adults will be dancing in the streets during this year’s celebration of the Santo Niño, or Child Jesus, Festival on Tinian this Sunday.
Tinian businesswoman Susan Cruz, who is assisting the committee members with the preparations, said the street dancers will include Filipinos, Japanese, Nepalese, Chamorros and other ethnic groups.
Cruz said the street dancers will start the performances immediately in front of the San Jose Church after Mass and right before the procession starts.
There are four stations where the street dancers will perform and three of these will be in the streets before the procession goes back to the San Jose Church where dinner will follow.
“We are hoping for another colorful celebration and we are inviting everybody to come and join us on Sunday,” Cruz said.
They started the nightly novena on Jan. 21 and the last novena will be on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. just before Mass.
“The Sto. Niño Festival is an annual event on Tinian that has been attracting crowds, including tourists in the past years, and this is our chance to make them be a part of the authentic island experience while paying tribute to our patron saint,” Cruz said.
Cruz said the potluck dinner at the back of the church after the procession will feature local and international cuisines contributed by community members.
“We all pooled our efforts to come up with a variety of menu —specialty dishes that you don’t usually see every day. We want to make the celebration more meaningful,” Cruz said.
This year’s committee members are May and Rodel Valente, John Jim Casauran and wife Janet, Rodney Cabarles and wife Maricel, Ines Acido and Dominano Levi.
For flights inquiries and reservations for Tinian, call Freedom Air at 234-8328 or Star Marianas at 433-9998.
