Home to two indigenous people, the Chamorro and Carolinian, these Islands have found a way to preserve as well as celebrate their heritage. Visitors to the Mariana Islands will find many delightful opportunities to immerse themselves in this rich cultural experience. 

Each year, a variety of festivals celebrate Chamorro and Carolinian cultural traditions with song, dance, local crafts and food. Sample local delicacies like the apigigi, a local dessert made with coconut and wrapped in banana leaves, at the weekly Garapan Street Market. This lively market in downtown Saipan is also famous for its local arts and crafts. Come to the annual Flame Tree Arts Festival, where the traditional Carolinian Stick Dance, an old warrior dance, is just one of the many exciting performances to see. This festival is also where artists from all over Micronesia showcase their masterpieces. Also on Saipan, the Liberation Day Festival is a three day weekend long celebration of the island’s 1944 liberation from foreign occupancy. The annual Liberation Day Parade is on July 4^th, but prior to that, there is a month long carnival at the American Memorial Park for all to enjoy. The crowning of the Miss Liberation Day Queen is one of the highlights of this important celebration. Don’t miss the Taste of the Marianas on Saipan every Saturday in May. The first day of this event kicks off CNMI Tourism month. Here visitors have the opportunity to sample a variety of local and international cuisine prepared by the islands’ top chefs, listen to live local bands and dance, interact with and mingle among the local residents and purchase locally made crafts. The Chefs and Cocktail Competition is the highlight of this event, which continues to grow each year to include chefs from off island as judges for the competition. On Tinian, the annual Tinian Fiesta has food, rides and their own coronation of the Queen. Rota’s San Francisco De Borja Fiesta is this island’s largest and most popular event. This festival is complete with BBQ meals, rides, dancing and the crowning of the Rota Queen.

The Northern Marianas Islands Museum of History and Culture is located on Saipan in the former Japanese Hospital. This museum features exhibits and objects reflecting 4,000 years of history of the Islands including artifacts of the Chamorro and Carolinian people. Also well represented are the Spanish, German, Japanese, World War II and US Commonwealth periods. The permanent collection includes gold, pottery and metal artifacts from the 1638 shipwreck of the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, which was chronicled by National Geographic Magazine in September 1990.