The show will go on: Arts Council 42nd Annual Holiday Music Festival

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The cover of the American Samoa Arts Council 42nd Annual Holiday Music Festival program now set for three nights, starting tomorrow evening at the Fagatogo Pavilion. The annual event was initially set for Dec. 15-17 but was canceled after the governor’s Dec 8th emergency declaration due to the measles outbreak and the ban on public gatherings.

During Monday’s cabinet meeting, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga announced the lift on the ban on public gatherings, saying he met recently with the Arts Council board of directors about the annual Christmas program.

He said it’s important to continue to keep up the spirt of Christmas in American Samoa, and choirs and organizations have been preparing for the Arts Council program for a long time and they look forward to the event. 

He added that there are visitors and local residents who want to take photos of Christmas festivities at Fagatogo before they depart the territory early this week and tomorrow night.

With the island being illuminated by Christmas lights and decor, Lolo said there were at least two areas where traffic was congested Sunday night, when he was out  looking at Christmas decorations. One of them was Aoloau. He requested DPS Commissioner Le’i Sonny Thompson to assign cops to the area — including Utulei - to help village aumaga control the flow of traffic and ensure the public is safe.

Lolo commended departments and agencies for putting up Christmas decorations at their designated areas, with the goal of “enjoying the sprit of Christmas” despite the measles outbreak.

According to the Arts Council program, on opening night, Le’i is the Master of Ceremonies while the governor will deliver special remarks followed by First Lady Cynthia Malala Moliga lighting the Christmas tree which was erected last week. Fourteen groups and choirs are set to perform the first night, 13 on the second night, and 14 on the final night where Lt. Gov. Lemanu Palepoi Sialega Mauga will deliver closing remarks.

The holiday festival is a joint effort by Arts Council and the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs, with the support of several ASG agencies. Part of the project is supported by a grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts.