by Irie Quitugua, for KUAM News

The 37th Annual Guam Micronesia Island Fair is coming to celebrate the harmony of Micronesia. There are fruit festivals, there are block parties, and there are weekly night markets, but there is only one annual GMIF.

Coming up on June 7 and 8th is the 37th celebration with the theme "Kånta Yan Baila". The event is free admission at the Governor Joseph Flores Memorial Park at Ypao Beach. A press conference held to go over the lineup included Guam Visitors Bureau PIO Lisa Bordallo, GVB sports and events staff member Kraig Camacho, and VP Dr. Gerry Perez, who shared a little bit of what the fair is really about.

"It’s about celebrating the harmony of our community of Micronesia and the music, the culture, the dances, the food, and the tradition that we find we are as a region," he stated.

The fair includes various vendors with crafts for purchase, food trucks, canoe races, cultural demonstrations and exhibitions, and many performances including a free concert from headliner Jordan T.  Something new that GVB is introducing at the fair is the beach flagging event - something that Camacho himself is looking forward to.

He said, "It’s nice to see the island community coming out and we’re featuring a beach flag event that’s happening Sunday. I’m always talking about symbiosis and how the relationship between the product and promoting the product is very important. So, we’ve engaged our Japanese  marketing folk and our overseas Japan team and so we’re bringing in a professional to display beach flag and what better island than our own local island to engage in our marine activities that help separate us apart from the others.

Bordallo happily invited the island to come celebrate, saying, "We hope for all of the island to come out and we hope for a good turn out of our visitors as well and providing a place where everybody can kind of come together. And this is, in our recovery efforts, this is a signature event. GVB has certain signature events throughout the year and this is one of them that is our biggest."

Demonstrations by I Gima Siha as well as 150 performers and musicians will kick off the event amongst much more from the islands of the CNMI, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Yap, Palau, and Guam. Throughout the weekend will be various activities for everyone such as pettings zoos, carnival rides, and much more. Bring your family, friends, and loved ones to celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions Guam caters to with the rest of the island.

"Not only does the Guam Micronesian Island Fair bring a unique event for all of our visitors, it provides our local community the opportunity to celebrate Micronesia. As I said during the press conference, it’ an exciting time to invite our brothers and sisters from our neighboring Micronesian islands to kind of take a break and come together and show truly Micronesia what we’re all about," Camacho concluded.