Madang Festival attracts record attendance

 By DOROTHY MARK
MADANG Festival committee official Moreen Hill has attributed the huge turnout this year to the attractive programme prepared for the people.
Hill said the floats were a great improvement, especially the one from Madang Technical College that had a small house and a model of the Kalibobo lighthouse in front.
It came first in the float competition in the higher education category. PNG Power was first in the business houses category and the Kindergarten Long Ples in the lower primary school category.
Hill said tickets were sold out including T-shirts and entries to the festival.
Raffles also generated revenue for the festival.
Modilon Hospital retained the Miss Madang festival queen competition for the second year running.
Nursing officer Darusila Ann Diphen won the contest on Friday night.
The show ended with sports including fishing and golf for business houses, volleyball, touch rugby and netball for adults and soccer for kids.
Hundreds packed the Laiwaden Oval over the four days of the festival.
Hundreds of stalls were put up while some people set up roadside markets outside the oval.
Solomon Islands musician Sharzy with local artists Demas Saul and Shydeez were some of the big attractions that drew the huge crowd.