The Mactan Newtown hosts 5th ukulele festival
March 1, 2017
IT was a weekend of cool island music at The Mactan Newtown last Feb. 25 to 26, as it officially became the new home of the annual Ukulele Festival.
About 500 ukulele enthusiasts from all over the country joined the festival, envisioned to promote the versatility of the instrument through the various music types it can play, as well as to further bolster the ukulele-making industry of Lapu-Lapu City, which is famous for manufacturing affordable, world-class guitars and other string musical instruments.
This year’s festival run featured a Ukulele Clinic, a Ukulele-Making Workshop and a concert of various Ukulele groups from Lapu-Lapu City. Locally-made ukuleles were also put on display.
“Megaworld’s very own township with a beach is the perfect setting for a festival that celebrates a tropical musical instrument. Attendees were all welcomed to the festival as they enjoyed the island vibe of the township,” said Noli Hernandez, president, Megaworld Cebu Properties Inc.
Festival visitors were also able to enjoy The Mactan Newtown’s other components such as the Mactan Alfresco, which is a hawker-style alfresco dining area featuring many local dishes, and the Mactan Lechon Pit, which enables visitors to witness first-hand how the world’s best pork dish is prepared from seasoning to roasting, before being chopped and served in plates.
The Ukulele Festival was started five years ago in Lapu-Lapu City by Frank Cane, a local music teacher. In partnership with the City of Lapu-Lapu, The Mactan Newtown now serves as the official venue of the succeeding Ukulele Festivals.
Source: Sun Star Cebu
