Tondano festival opens next week

Tondano festival opens next week

MANADO, North Sulawesi: The province is bracing itself for
next week's Rp 3 billion (US$1.2 million) four-day Tondano
Cultural Festival.

The festival to be held on the banks of the renowned Tondano
Lake near Paleloan Village will be opened by the Minister of
Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Joop Ave, on Oct. 31.

North Sulawesi governor E.E. Mangindaan said the government
needed Rp 3 billion to build the infrastructure and facilities on
the six hectare area.

The money was donated by local businesses and by businesses in
Jakarta.

"We are racing against time to complete the preparatory work,"
he said, reported Antara over the weekend.

The local government's publicity campaigns in the U.S and
Europe have attracted attendance confirmations from at least 400
people, Mangindaan said.

About 30 ambassadors from Jakarta have also expressed interest
in attending the event, he added. (pan)