Heilala Festival float parade. Nuku'alofa, 4 July 2013.

Photos by Linny Folau

A colourful floats parade was held in central Nuku’alofa on July 4 to celebrate Tonga High School’s jubilee and the annual Heilala Festival, which attracted hundreds of spectators to the main Taufa’ahau Road.

Tonga High School, celebrating its 65-66^th Jubilee from July 3-7, started the parade yesterday morning with an ex-students march and colourful floats for the school's sports houses, while school students lined the main street.

At the same time the Tongatapu Secondary School brass bands, from the Heilala Festival brass bands competitions earlier in the wee, followed and showcased their talent to an ethustiastic crowd.

The fun day was concluded with the Heilala Float parade featuring the Miss Heilala contestants, with the support of the local Chinese and Japanese communities and other groups.

The celebration in the capital coincided with King Tupou VI’s birthday on July 4, a public holiday in Tonga.