The European, Rotuman and Chinese communities in Lautoka contributed their quota to the fun at the Sugar Festival with entertainment before a crowd of nearly 4000.
The Fiji Times shared the story of fun and excitement on October 6 in 1962.
After a jerky start it developed into a well-mixed variety show with Mr Dan Costello, the compere, providing the continuity with his own brand of patter.
The nurses from Lautoka Hospital scored a hit with their choir singing Fijian songs and the old English folk song My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, while the children from the Lautoka European School showed their paces with a neat folk dance.
For 15 minutes, the Rotuman community held the large crowd with a series of national songs and dances, and there were some colourful Samoan singing and dancing by Lena Mar, Ceclia Stelland, Lorna Hicks and Maria Blake.
Collin Connel proved himself as an accomplished accompanist on the piano for Anita Little and Cecilia Stelland, whose pop song brought applause.
Maria Tyus, who was on the flute, and Patricia Cullen, who was on the piano supplied more solid entertainment.
Bruce Halliday with a monologue told an unbelievable detective story, and Lena Mar and Joe Lelo were up to date with their version of the twist.
Another bracket of popular melodies came from the two Ting sisters.
When things threatened to flag an undeniable group of Negro minstrels led by “Otto” came to the rescue and proved their versatility by singing spiritual and popular songs.
But it was left to the Chinese community to finish the program with a £150 bang when zooming rockets, sputtering cartwheels, showers of golden rain, Roman candles and “bangers” lit up the scene.
The firework’s set pieces were suspended from a 60 ft pole and the whole £150 worth exploded in two glorious riots of colour, glitter, and noise.
The only rocket the Chinese community did not like was the 75 piece duty rocket demanded by the Customs.
