Lae set for festival this weekend

LAE City’s arts and cultural festivities will be hosted this weekend, along with the city’s popular Rosso Cup Challenge, festival chairman John Byrne says.
“It has been a long wait since the festival was mooted long ago,” he said.
Dubbed the city’s biggest family event, Byrne said LaeFest would host cultural, music, arts and environmental activities that reflected the core values of family, fun and safety.
“This weekend is aimed at bringing the business community and Lae residents together to promote peace, unity and good citizenship,” he added.
Byrne said arts and crafts and business exhibitions would also be hosted at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) and the Lae showgrounds, the boat race will be at Voco Point and bicycle race at the Lae Botanic Garden and Raun Wara.
“We are trying to turn LaeFest into an annual event, with the Rosso Cup Mountain Bike challenge as the iconic programme,” he said.
Lae MP John Rosso said success of the entertainment and educational events would give hope to the restoration of the country’s second city.
The LaeFest was scheduled for May but had to be deferred with the passing of former Deputy Prime Minister and Bulolo MP Sam Basil.
LaeFest Rosso Cup 2022 will be officially opened tonight with the launch of the city’s school bus service, at the Forest Research Institute.