Tonga's Heilala Festival this year will mark the birthday of Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka on July 12.

The Heilala Festival Organising Committee today released a tentative program for the festival, which will run from July 2-13.

The program starts on July 2 with the Miss Heilala Orientation program followed by the Miss Tau'olunga Junior competition to be held on July 7. There will be a Heilala Songs of Praise evening at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall on July 8.

The Miss Heilala Pageant will begin on July 9 with the contestants Presentation and Interview judging to be followed by a Tau'olunga competition in the evening.

On July 10 the contestants will compete in the Sarong and Talent competitionand the last judging event July 11 will be the Miss Heilala Contemporary Island Creation.

The festival will be concluded in Nuku'alofa on July 12, the official birthday of the Crown Prince, with the Heilala Festival float parade, to be followed by a carnival to be held on the Nuku'alofa waterfront from the corner of the Janfull International Dateline Hotel to the Faua Wharf.

Pageant Director Joey Mataele said that the registration of contestants of the Miss Heilala Pageant has started and entries close in the second week of June.

The Heilala Festival organising committee is made up of representatives from the Tonga Tourist Association, the Tonga Visitors Bureau and other volunteers .