The Kingdom of Tonga has begun celebrating the Heilala Festival, ahead of King Tupou VI's birthday next week.
Matangi Tonga reports the festival will run for nine days and will include the Miss Heilala Pageant, traditional dancing and singing competitions, a secondary school brass band competition and a float parade.
The king's 54th birthday will be marked with a military parade at Pangai Lahi, a thanksgiving service at the Royal Palace and a royal luncheon on July the 4th.
There will also be two military tattoos next Friday and Saturday evenings at Pangai Lahi.
