70th Hibiscus Festival set for Albert Park

The 2026 Hibiscus Festival will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a return to its traditional home at Albert Park in Suva.

This marks a milestone aimed at reviving the spirit and scale of one of Fiji’s longest-running events.

The festival will run from August 29 to September 5 and is expected to feature one of its largest and most inclusive programmes to date.

Festival director Ellen Whippy-Knight, speaking at the launch yesterday, said the milestone edition reflects the event’s enduring significance in Fiji.

“This year’s programme will be one of the most inclusive and dynamic yet,” Ms Whippy-Knight said.

The week-long event will include more than 160 stalls, a cultural food village, nightly entertainment, a revived Miss Charity competition, and new sporting activities such as volleyball, table tennis, and pickleball.

“There truly will be something for everyone,” she said.

A key highlight is the return to Albert Park, alongside renewed city-wide engagement initiatives including best-dressed shopfronts and vendor displays aimed at restoring festive energy across Suva.

The crowning event will also be linked to the Grand Pacific Hotel.

FMF Foods Limited will continue as the major sponsor for a second consecutive year, while the Suva City Council remains a key partner.

Ms Whippy-Knight also introduced the festival’s leadership team, led by chairman Dr John Fatiaki, describing him as an experienced public figure and medical professional.

Dr Fatiaki graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1977 with a Bachelor of Medical Science and Medicine and later became a doctor in 1984 and he is a former President of the Fiji College of General Practitioners and a life member of the Fiji Medical Association.

He has also served in governance and public service roles, including a commissionership in the Fiji Higher Education Commission, a representative appointment to the Tumin Island Council in the Fijian Senate, and as a Suva City Council member for the past two years.

Dr Fatiaki also contested the 2022 General Election under the National Federation Party and currently serves on the Constitution Review Committee.

“It is an honour to work with such a remarkable all-round individual,” Ms Whippy-Knight said.

She said independent legal firm Patel Sharma Lawyers and accounting firm Genesis Oasis had been appointed to support governance and transparency in festival operations.