On the Calendar
Events & Occasions
The festivals and weekly markets that punctuate life on Saipan. Most of these entries are still being verified — exact dates and venues shift year to year, so treat timing as approximate until a card says otherwise.
Annual Festivals
Christmas in the Marianas
December
Garapan
Saipan's island-wide holiday season — lights, decorations, and community events around Garapan through December.
Flame Tree Arts Festival
Late spring, traditionally around Memorial Day weekend
Rotates around the island — has been hosted at American Memorial Park's grounds in past years
The western Pacific's longest-running arts festival, led by the Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture — local artists, crafts, food, and performances, at a venue that changes from year to year.
Liberation Festival
Weeks of celebration through June, culminating on CNMI Liberation Day, July 4
Island-wide — parades, carnival grounds, and cultural events across multiple sites
The CNMI's biggest annual celebration, commemorating the 1944 liberation of the Marianas — weeks of carnival, parades, cultural pageantry, and events building up to the July 4 holiday.
Taste of the Marianas
Weekends in May
Micro Beach, Garapan
Saipan's food-and-music festival, taking over Micro Beach's green with local vendors, live performances, and crowds — and the reason locals recommend parking at American Memorial Park next door rather than fighting for a spot on site.