Hundreds of people packed Pangai Lahi on Sunday night, July 18 to enjoy a night of classy choral singing by 17 youth choirs from high schools and various church denominations in Tongatapu, and also from Fiji and New Zealand.

The event was the first of its kind and the audience was treated with two-hours of exceptional choral singing on a cool Nuku'alofa Sunday evening.

The choral evening under the theme "One Tonga Glorifying God - Our Youth in Song marked the beginning of the 2010 Heilala Festival, and was sponsored by the Western Union/Fexco Ltd and organised by Robina Nakao.

The 17 youth choirs came from the Seventh Day Adventist Church at Vaini, Fahefa, Nuku'alofa, Popua, New Zealand, and the Golan Singers from Fulton College, Fiji. Other church youth choirs included Liahona Stake Youth of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, Kingdomisation Healing Ministry, First Fijian Choir of the Assembly of God, Equippers Youth, Truth Seekers of the Church on the Rock, Western Union/Fexco Staff. There were also two local school choirs, a Tupou High School Choir and a Beulah College choir.

Despite relatively cool weather last night, the crowd filled a large white tent and out to the lawn.