In 1988, over 1,000 young people were anticipated to participate in a march along Victoria Parade in Suva to celebrate the commencement of the week-long Hibiscus Carnival. According to a report in The Fiji Times dated August 16 of that year, this event was being reinstated after a year’s hiatus.
David Pickering, the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Energy, officially launched the carnival at Albert Park following the march. Students from eight schools in Suva and six teams of marching girls paraded from the Suva Bus Stand to the park, accompanied by bands from the Fiji police and the Fiji military forces.
Hassan Khan, a member of the carnival organizing committee, expressed hopes that the event would unite the community. The week’s itinerary included a Pacific night on Saturday, a youth night on Wednesday, a multicultural night on Thursday and Friday, and a Hibiscus Carnival Island night to cap off the festivities.
Music concerts were slated to occur during lunch breaks, while former governor-general Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau was expected to crown the new Hibiscus queen. The number of contestants increased to 19, with three additional participants joining the competition, although it fell short of the anticipated 20.
The newly crowned Miss Hibiscus would receive a flight courtesy of Air Pacific to Japan and was also set to partake in the Miss Asia/Pacific quest in Hong Kong later that October. The title of Miss Charity would come with a trip to Brisbane.