The Hibiscus Festival 2024 has energized Suva City, reawakening a sense of community. Opetaia Ravai, chairman of the festival, expressed gratitude to all who helped make the event a success.
The festival wrapped up with a float procession featuring queens and their teams, who persevered through heavy rain as they traveled through the city. Ravai highlighted the necessity of the festival for Suva, particularly in light of the difficulties faced post-pandemic.
“We hope everyone enjoyed the week of activities,” he stated, adding that it had been five years since the last event, making this year’s festival a significant positive change.
Looking to the future, he expressed hope for the festival’s growth, saying, “There’s always room for improvement, and I’m confident that the Hibiscus Festival will continue to grow, providing even more enjoyment for everyone.”
The streets of Suva were filled with hundreds of spectators from the Flea Market to Ratu Sukuna Park to view the procession. However, earlier strong winds caused some concern as they damaged a stall, raising questions about the stability of the festival setups. There has been no official response regarding these incidents.