In 1988, over 1,000 young people were anticipated to march along Victoria Parade in Suva to celebrate the opening of the Hibiscus Carnival, a week-long event. A report in The Fiji Times from August 16 of that year highlighted that the carnival was being reintroduced after taking a year off.
The carnival was officially inaugurated by David Pickering, the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Energy, at Albert Park following the march. Students from eight schools in Suva and six teams of marching girls participated in the parade, led by brass bands from the Fiji police and military forces.
Hassan Khan, a member of the carnival organizing committee, expressed the importance of creating a program that would engage community members. The week’s schedule featured various themed nights, including a Pacific night on Saturday, a youth night on Wednesday, a multicultural night on Thursday and Friday, and concluded with the Hibiscus Carnival Island night.
Music concerts were also planned during lunchtime throughout the week. Former governor-general Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau was set to crown the new Hibiscus queen. Although 20 contestants were initially expected, the final count was 19, with three additional contestants joining the competition. The newly crowned Miss Hibiscus queen would earn a trip to Japan on Air Pacific and participate in the Miss Asia/Pacific quest in Hong Kong later that October. Miss Charity would receive a trip to Brisbane.