Liberation Day - Guam

by © Paul Dodson 2008

Festival Location: Hagatna, Guam

Festival Type(s): National Festivals , Historical Festivals, Street Parades

On the world map Guam is but a speck of utopia located roughly equidistance from the northern tip of Australian and the southern tip of Japan. It's a heady mix of Asian, Spanish and American influences, a tropical paradise in every sense of the definition, and a great place to spend a week or two.

And if you've got a say as to when that week or two may be, why not make it during mid July and take in Guam's Liberation Day on the 21st.

As a strategic piece of real estate in World War II they didn't come much more important than Guam. Japanese forces invaded and took control of Guam in 1941 and it wasn't until 1944 in the lead up to the final push on the Japanese that US forces re-took the largest island of the Micronesian archipelago.

Each year in the week leading up to July 21st the locals of Guam celebrate their liberation from the Japanese with local carnivals, feasting and fireworks. The culmination of this week of celebrations comes on the 21st when locals take to the capital Hagatña for a parade featuring extravagant floats and costumed marchers and partying on well into the wee hours of the morn.