Hibiscus Festival 2025

Hibiscus Festival 2025 Miss Apco Gitali Ganisha Ram will be advocating about youth education as our children today will be our future for tomorrow.

Speaking to fijivillage News, the 21-year-old stressed the need for children to have good learning resources because every child deserves to learn.

She says the Hibiscus Festival brings different communities together, and she hopes to see this at this year’s festival.

Ram says she has always wanted to be part of a beauty pageant because her mother used to be a beauty queen back in the 90s, and this is also not her first competition, as she has represented Fiji in other international competitions.

The Hibiscus Festival will be held from this Saturday to next Saturday at the Suva Foreshore.

Miss National Fire Authority 2025 Rhyelle Aisea will use the 2025 Hibiscus Festival platform as an opportunity to remind us, as indigenous peoples of the Pacific, to hold on to our values, crafts, and traditions, and to stand firm in them even as the world around us changes.

The 20-year-old USP student says she is passionate about youth empowerment, cultural identity, and community resilience; the values that align strongly with the mission of the National Fire Authority.

Aisea, who is from Rotuma, says culture gives us resilience, just as the NFA teaches us that preparedness builds strong communities, and together, they show us how to walk into the future with confidence.

She says the NFA is not only about fighting fires; it is about resilience, preparedness, and protecting our communities.

Aisea says this is a message that he is proud to carry to the 2025 Hibiscus Festival as she represents the NFA.

She also highlighted that Fiji is on the frontline of the climate crisis where rising seas, stronger cyclones, and more frequent floods threaten our homes and livelihoods.

The queen contestant says severe weather increases the risk of fire.

Aisea adds the NFA plays a vital role in this fight; rescuing families from floodwaters, responding to disasters, and teaching communities how to prepare for emergencies driven by the climate crisis.

She says as Miss NFA, she hopes to be a reminder that resilience is their best defence, and preparedness is our power.

The Hibiscus Festival will kick off this Saturday at the Suva Foreshore.

As excitement builds for the 2025 Hibiscus Festival, reigning Miss Hibiscus Melania Tora is calling on the public to treat contestants with dignity and compassion, reminding the community to see the young women not just as pageant participants, but as human beings.

Speaking during the festival’s official launch at the Suva Civic Centre, Tora made a heartfelt plea for the public to value the contestants as “our own daughters, our own sisters.”

She says the public need to show kindness and encouragement because empowering women also means supporting them with kind words.

Tora is urging everyone to come with their family and with an empty stomach because there will be a lot of great food and to have a great time.

Hibiscus Festival Coordinator Ellen Whippy-Knight says with the 19 years she has had at Fiji Fashion Week, she brings those skills to this year’s Hibiscus Festival with the intention to bring back its glory and what it was originally meant to be.

The 2025 Hibiscus Festival officially opens today, with the Hibiscus Village opening at midday, and the floating procession beginning at 3pm.

Themed nights throughout the week include a church themed outreach on Sunday, Youth Night on Monday, Asian Night on Tuesday and Indian Night on Wednesday.

On Thursday, there will be an iTaukei night, followed by Pasifika Night on Friday, and then finally, the crowning night on Saturday.

The 69th Hibiscus Festival has officially launched, providing children, parents and the elderly with the opportunity to enjoy a week of festivities featuring a variety of food, amusements and entertainment.

This year, 10 contestants will compete for the Miss Hibiscus crown.

The festival offers a perfect opportunity for families and friends to come together and experience the rich cultural diversity of the country. 

The Hibiscus Village is now open and the float procession will start at 3pm.



There will be themed nights throughout the week including a church-themed outreach tomorrow, Youth Night on Monday, Asian Night on Tuesday, and Indian Night on Wednesday.



On Thursday, there will be an iTaukei Night, followed by Pasifika Night on Friday, and finally, the crowning night on Saturday.


The Miss Hibiscus Festival 2025 is officially underway, and the public can now vote for their favorite contestants by texting their initials to 812.

Speaking at the official launch of the festival today, Hibiscus Festival coordinator Ellen Whippy-Knight says each text vote costs 99 cents, with the initiative proudly supported through a collaboration between the Hibiscus Committee and Vodafone.

Text voting opened yesterday during the festival's official launch at the Civic Centre in Suva, marking the beginning of a week-long celebration of culture, community, and youth empowerment.

Held at the Suva foreshore, this year’s Miss Hibiscus Festival promises a vibrant lineup of events, including traditional performances, public appearances by contestants, and community projects—all culminating in the crowning of Miss Hibiscus 2025.

Whippy-Knight is encouraging the public to take part in the voting process and show their support for the young women representing various regions and organisations.

There will be themed nights throughout the week including a church-themed outreach tomorrow, Youth Night on Monday, Asian Night on Tuesday, and Indian Night on Wednesday.

 On Thursday, there will be an iTaukei Night, followed by Pasifika Night on Friday, and finally, the crowning night on Saturday.

Contestants of the Hibiscus Festival 2025 brought smiles and heartfelt conversations to the Golden Age Home today as part of their community outreach program.

Among them was 23-year-old nurse Tia’re Colavoli, sponsored by Leleuvia Island Resort, who shared how the visit offered more than just a moment of connection, it was a meaningful education.

While speaking to fijivillage News, Colavoli, originally from Kadavu with maternal links to Cakaudrove, says the visit was a reminder of the importance of raising awareness around elderly care, especially at the grassroots level.

Colavoli says that, as contestants, they are blessed with a platform through this festival, and she believes it is their role to advocate for elderly care, bringing awareness to our communities and villages.

She adds that it is about developing a different level of patience, and for her, it builds character.

A nurse by profession, Colavoli says she has always viewed it from the perspective that this is someone’s mother or someone’s father, and with that mindset, she strives to do her best for them.

In addition to her dedication to health and community, Tia’re Colavoli is also a passionate advocate for marine conservation, which is her key advocacy at this year’s Hibiscus Festival.

She says that as an island girl through and through, she grew up with traditional practices such as taboo zones, where fishing and harvesting are restricted to allow marine ecosystems to recover.

She is urging people that protecting our seas is protecting our future.

Hibiscus Festival village opens at midday at the Suva Foreshore.

The festival concludes this Saturday.

The remaining Queen contestants of Hibiscus Festival 2025 will appear on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan tonight.

Miss Leleuvia Resort Tiare Colavoli, Miss National Fire Authority Rhyelle Aisea, Miss APCO Coatings Gitali Ram, Miss Unique Rubber Stamps Temalesi Tuiwalese, and Miss Social Advocacy Network Anaseini Loiloi.

You can check out the shows on our facebook page, YouTube channel, TikTok and X account, fijivillage.

You can also check out the podcast on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Minister for Local Government Maciu Nalumisa is calling on vendors and citizens to take pride in their environment, and ensure that Suva remains clean and beautiful, especially as the city celebrates the 69th Miss Hibiscus Festival.

Speaking at the official launch of the 2025 Miss Hibiscus Festival at the Suva Foreshore last week, Nalumisa says the Ministry is placing strong emphasis on environment and hygiene, and that stall operators must reflect that through pride, cleanliness, and care in their daily operations.

He says a clean Suva is a proud Suva, and everyone has a part in keeping the foreshore beautiful.

He says the Hibiscus Festival is a celebration of Suva’s identity, diversity, creativity, and resilience, and urged all to work together to make this year’s event a memorable one.

There will be themed nights throughout the week with Youth Night tonight, Asian Night on Tuesday, and Indian Night on Wednesday.



On Thursday, there will be an iTaukei Night, followed by Pasifika Night on Friday, and finally, the crowning night on Saturday.


Meanwhile, the first public judging for the 2025 Miss Hibiscus contestants will be held at 7pm tomorrow followed by the second public judging on Wednesday and the final round on Thursday.

On Saturday, just before the crowning of the new Miss Hibiscus, each contestant will face one final question: “Why should you be the next Miss Hibiscus.