LibDay Festivities getting international exposure, attracting tourists

The 2016 Liberation Day festival grounds continue to lift the spirit of the Liberation Day as we approach the midway of the monthlong 2016 Liberation Day Festivities. Skywalker Communication Group, in cooperation with the Saipan Mayor’s Office and Liberation Day committee, continues to live up to the high expectations by providing non-stop entertainment every night at the Garapan Fishing Base.

This year’s Liberation Day Festivities is not only bringing joy to the people of the CNMI, but also showing the world the vast resources that the island has for new businesses to grow. All of these are achieved by Skywalker Communications, the Saipan Mayor’s Office, and the Liberation Day Committee, a non-profit organization. The overall expenditure for the event is almost completely coming from Skywalker Communications, which has gladly invested for the community, even though knowing there is no margin for profit. “We understand that this is a non-profit event. We never saw this event as a business opportunity,” Skywalker Communications president Dr. Bo Hu explained, “We understand the importance of the culture of the CNMI and we want the world to know more about these beautiful islands. That is our aim. This event gives us an opportunity to give something back to the community, for welcoming us on this island and making us feel at home” Dr. Bo also mentioned that the income from game booth tokens and raffle draw tickets are being reinvested on the event, in order to make sure the Liberation Day events are operated smoothly.

The 2016 Liberation Festivities was destined to be a memorable one, with some record-breaking achievements. This year, 26 beautiful Royal Court candidates are competing to be 2016 Miss CNMI Liberation Queen, more than any other years. Their determination to succeed and their dedication to represent their community and culture, which was beautifully portrayed at their opening day pageant routine, were truly mesmerizing to watch. In addition to that, over 60 volunteers have signed up to help organize the event, another milestone achieved by the organizers.

“The volunteers have been ever present at the fishing base since the opening day” said Levonne Pangelinan, Project assistant of Skywalker Communications and volunteer coordinator for the Liberation Day Festivities, “Without their support and their dedication, this event wouldn’t have been as successful as it is now.” Additionally, volunteers have undergone various skills-based training, such as photography, entertainment management, videography, creative writing, web community management, stage light and sound engineering, a great initiative taken by Skywalker Communications to develop the youth of this society.

Meanwhile, the festival grounds have witnessed a radical increase in the number of audiences attending the Liberation Day event compared to last year. The opening day performances were an instant hit, attracting thousands of people across the island. The introduction of the gaming booths added an extra attraction for the families. Every day parents are bringing their children after work to play the games, have tasty meals, as well as watch live cultural performances and music at the Fishing Base. Credit goes to Gordon Marciano for arranging the amazing entertainment lineups, as well as the hardworking stage crew of Skywalker Communications, who have been working tirelessly backstage to highlight the wonderful performances. Anticipating a rise in audience this year, Skywalker Communications had set two big LED screens beside the stage, so that audiences can enjoy performances even when they were far away from the stage. “I am really loving the stage setup and the LED screen” said Joleen, a mother. “This is the third time I came here, because my kids love the games and I am really enjoying the performances on stage. The LED screens allow me to stay close to my kids while they play as well as watch the performances on the screen.”

Dr. Bo envisioned the Liberation Day Festivities to not only bring joy to the local community, but also be a source of attraction for tourists to visit the island and attend the events. “I think The Liberation Day Festivities also serves as a platform for tourists to witness the truly beautiful and rich culture of the CNMI, the culture that I fell in love with,” said Dr. Bo, “keeping that in mind, we decided to live broadcast the Liberation Day performances on our Liberation Day Facebook page, so that people from other parts of the world can watch the incredible performances and be inspired from it. Credit goes to one of our principal sponsors, IT&E, for arranging the live broadcasts.” The idea of live broadcasting was widely acknowledged by the viewers. People from Guam, Tinian, Rota, and even from the mainland, who couldn’t come to Saipan, could watch the performances live on the Facebook page. “We are watching you guys live all the way from Guahan,” said Ton-Mona Santos, mother of Royal Court candidate Kaylanie Santos, after the opening day. “Bummed that we are not there to attend the actual event, missing home. Thanks for the update.” Skywalker Communications’ Liberation Day page and the live feeds have reached over 75,000 people all across the world, an excellent exposure which will help boost the tourism industry on Saipan. (PR)

Source: Saipantribune

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