(MVA) — Festivalgoers at the Annual Taste of the Marianas International Food Festival & Beer Garden on Aug. 27-29 should plan ahead for Covid-19 safety protocols, including mandatory temperature checks and masks.
Administrative assistant Holly Camacho of Bridge Capital LLC, left, hands a donation to Marianas Visitors Authority community projects specialist and lead festival coordinator Ray Villagomez at the Bridge Capital office in Garapan. The donation is for the Annual Taste of the Marianas which will be hosted by MVA on Aug. 27-29, 2021 at Garapan Fishing Base.
Wristbands will be issued to all attendees following temperature checks at the two entry points to the festival grounds at Garapan Fishing Base, one on the north end and one on the south near the Garapan Farmers Market. All attendees are required to wear masks when not eating or drinking. To encourage social distancing, the Marianas Visitors Authority has enlarged the area for this year’s festival.
“To comply with requirements from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. and Covid-19 Task Force, we have worked closely with several other government agencies who have jurisdiction in the area,” said MVA Managing Director Priscilla Maratita Iakopo.
“We greatly appreciate the cooperation of the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., the Bureau of Environmental Health, Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco Control, the Bureau of Environmental & Coastal Quality, the Department of Public Lands, the Department of Lands & Natural Resources, the Saipan Mayor’s Office, the Saipan Zoning Office, the Department Public Safety, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp., and the Department of Fire & Emergency Medical Services for the cooperative effort to help make this year’s festival possible and safe.”
The annual signature event of the Marianas Visitors Authority will be held at Garapan Fishing Base on Saipan and features international cuisines, live entertainment, and arts and crafts sales. Entry is free, and the festival will begin at 4 p.m. on the first day (Aug. 27) and at 5 p.m. on Aug. 28 & 29, ending at 10 p.m. on all three days. Twenty food and two beverage vendors are confirmed for the festival.
This year’s festival is sponsored by Bank of Guam, IT&E, Bridge Capital, and Dave’s Electronics Center.
Entertainment on Friday includes the opening ceremony (4 p.m.), Saipan Community School Ukulele (4:30 p.m.), Awadori Saipan (5 p.m.), Joselyn Toves (5:30 p.m.), Ben San Nicolas (6 p.m.), POLKSAI Guma Chamorro (6:30 p.m.), Saipan Music & Dance Studio (7 p.m.), Ana Glushko Dance Academy (7:30 p.m.), High Tide (8 p.m.), Man Antigo (8:30 p.m.), and Tattoo (9 p.m.).
Entertainment on Saturday includes JX Dance Ballet (5:30 p.m.), Tahiti Nui (6 p.m.), South Korean K Pop (6:30 p.m.), Marianas Saxophone Ensemble (7 p.m.), Simiyan Marianas (7:30 p.m.), Road to 80 raffle (8 p.m.), Black Sands (8:30 p.m.), and Tasi and the Allii’s (9 p.m.). Entertainment on Sunday includes Baraha Band (5:30 p.m.), Laly 4 (6:30 p.m.), Da King (7:30 p.m.), Petlas Micronesia (8 p.m.), Studio 29: 11 (8:30 p.m.), and Cab Dancers (9 p.m.), WD40 (9:30 p.m.).
Entertainment is subject to change.
The festival will feature the Kadun Pika Cooking Contest on Aug. 27, the Eskabeche Cooking Contest on Aug. 28, and the Bunelos Kamuti Eating Contest on the final night, all beginning at 7 p.m. The contests are open to the first 10 registrants ages 18 and older.
Registration forms are available on The Marianas Calendar at www.mymarianas.com, and cash prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Vendors will accept both Taste of the Marianas tokens or cash; however, tokens will not be sold this year.
For more information, contact MVA community projects specialist Ray Villagomez at rvillagomez@mymarians.com or call 664-3200.
