31st Annual Teuila Festival

Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and the continued closure of Samoa’s borders to keep the country safe, the 31st Annual Teuila Festival has been scaled-back and will feature a number of events during 29 August – 4 September, to commemorate what is one of Samoa’s most widely anticipated events.

The Opening, which will be televised on 29th August, will feature a Prayer followed by the  Keynote Address by the Honourable Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, and a Choral Exhibition featuring singing groups from past years. 

Highlights of the Festival over the years will be televised on 30th August. 

On 2nd - 3rd September, the Waterfront Market will take place from 12pm to 10 pm, in association with the Samoa Hotels Association at the Samoa Cultural Village in Apia. The open Market will feature a range of stalls selling food and crafts, live entertainment and activities for children.

And in support of the country’s Covid-19 vaccination roll-out spearheaded by the Ministry of Health, special competitions will be held during the Market days to encourage the community to get vaccinated and go into the draw to win a variety of prizes. Draws will take place throughout both days.

Other events confirmed to be held during the week include a number of sporting fixtures. These are being organised by various clubs with support from Samoa Tourism Authority. Among them are the United Soulz Netball Tournament, Alo Paopao Business House Regatta, Samoa Tag Incorporated Tournament and Volleyball Samoa Federation Tournament.

This year’s Miss Samoa Pageant has been postponed to 2022 and current Miss Samoa, Fonoifafo Seumanu McFarland will continue with her reign.

The Teuila Festival was established in 1991 to draw Samoa’s diaspora to the motherland and help extend the peak-tourist season where demand is largely driven by the Southern Winter across New Zealand and Australia.

Pre-Covid, the Teuila Festival grew to become one of the largest cultural celebrations of its kind in the South Pacific and it was not uncommon for other events including locally-hosted regional and international meetings and conferences to run parallel with the Festival.