It’s going to be a wet birthday celebration with the weatherman serving up rain, wind and high surf that’s expected to remain throughout the week.
Nevertheless schools, church groups, civic organizations, a few companies and nearly all government departments are ready to march in what may be one of the biggest Flag Day parades in recent history.
Marching groups have been told to be at the Veterans Memorial Stadium by 6:00am, and the many VIP guests from off island and the territory should all be in their seats at the main grandstand by 7:00 am.
His Highness the Head of State of Samoa, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi and Masiofo Filifilia and Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs, Esther Kia’aina lead the off island dignitaries attending the territory’s birthday.
Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen, the Governor of the Northern Marianas Ralph Torres, Ulu o Tokelau Faipule Afega Gaualofa, the Ambassador of Indonesia to the United States, and Samoa’s Minister of Education are also present, along with several military officials, high commissioners and business people from off island.
The Lolo and Lemanu administration is hosting their final Flag Day celebration for their first term in office.
For today, ASG departments and semi independent authorities are turning out in force to mark the territory’s birthday.
For the first time in decades, the department that administers the unorganized unincorporated territory of American Samoa, the US Department of Interior will deliver the main address for Flag Day.
Assistant Secretary of Insular Affairs Kia’aina who on Saturday was bestowed an honorary matai
will deliver the keynote address, following remarks by Governor Lolo Moliga.
More so than any other head of OIA, the Guam-born Hawaiian , has delivered results for the territory. 
Most recently she initiated legislation that Congresswoman Aumua Amata introduced this year dealing with the federal restriction on foreign airlines serving US destinations…cabotage, to enable Samoa carrier, Polynesian Airlines, to permanently serve the Manu’a islands until a US carrier can fly there. 
At present Polynesian is serving the route on 30-day cabotage waivers issued by the US Department of Transportation.
She has also delivered funds to fix schools, increased funding for a new boat for Manu’a and several other infrastructure projects.
And she organized the first of its kind panel in Washington DC on self-determination of the US territories, of which American Samoa was a key participant.
It’s expected that her address would touch on the territory’s future as a self governing territory of the United States, in line with the theme of this year’s Flag Day: “Our People, our culture our future.”
After the speeches, flag raising, prayers and hymns, the Marine band from Kaneohe will lead the pass in review.
Then the VIPs will be served lunch in the grandstand, while the public can redeem their $5 vouchers from the Flag Day Committee, with any of the food vendors inside the stadium or wherever they want.
In the meantime the Faasao Marist High School cultural group that will represent American Samoa at the Pacific Arts Festival in Guam, numbering more than 70, will perform.’
That will be followed by traditional entertainment by the district groups and the invitees from Manono, Samoa.
First to entertain is Manu’a, followed by the Eastern District represented by Nu’uuli, the group from Manono is next, and the final group to take the malae is Leone, representing the Western District.
The awarding of prizes, lowering of flags and the closing prayer by Pastor Uili Solofa of the Seventh Day Adventist Church will conclude the 2016 Flag Day celebration.
