The music festival here in Fiji is an event which pays tribute to the global celebration of World Music Day.

The occasion is celebrated with music performed by local and regional bands and solo artistes here in our nation yearly and every year, we have had the pleasure of covering the event.

Twenty years ago on this day, an article in The Fiji Times read: “The Fiji Music Festival started with a blast as people enjoyed the jives and afternoon sun at the Raffles Tradewinds on Saturday.”

This year and for the past 17 years, the show has been organised by the Alliance Française of Suva and the French Embassy, in partnership with Fiji Performing Rights Association.

As this year’s music celebration started it filled the air with jazz tunes and the floor with dancing, the evening was full of local raw talent and the atmosphere was just something to be in.

The 11-hour festival was hosted for the people and had entertainers such as; Inside Out, Rako, TheRelatiV, VOU dance group, DJ Christonite, 4 Quarters, Laisa Vulakoro, Tom Mawi, Seru Serevi, Ramnik, Dawn Gospel, and a special music band guest from New Caledonia, Blues Band, which performed with Fijian singer Elena Baravilala.

The major goal set by event co-ordinator, Guillaume Ripaud, was to bring together Fijian and French artistes and celebrate the diversity that music can offer.