Celebrations to bring crowds to Nuku’alofa

TONGA –It’s going to be a busy time in Nuku‘alofa from June to July with the annual Heilala Festival, church conference and school celebrations. The Heilala Festival is set to run for two-weeks from June 27 to July 9. Cultural events will start the festival with the traditional Tau‘olunga competitions by various age groups to Hiva Kakala singing competition in a number of categories, among other cultural performances to be held at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall. The annual One Tonga Glorifying God in Song hosted by Western Union/Fexco will be held on Sunday, July 3. A highlight of the festival, the Miss Heilala Pageant competition will start on Monday July 4, a public holiday to commemorate the birthday of King Tupou VI. The one-week pageant ends on Friday, 8 July, with the crowning of the new Miss Heilala for 2016-17 before the festival concludes on Saturday, July 9, with the Miss Heilala and community parade. The 150th Anniversary of Tupou College – to be held from June 18-24 and the Free Wesleyan Church Annual Conference from June 19-27 – are to be side events held during this period and are expected to bring hundreds of people to Nuku‘alofa from throughout Tonga and abroad. - Matangi Tonga