The 13th Festival of Pacific Arts &Culture, beginning Thursday, will feature a Festival Village of hale, or houses, at the Hawai‘i Convention Center exhibition hall — representing all 28 participating Pacific nations or territories and their cultures.

“Each country will receive their own hale to provide opportunities for cultural demonstrations and such,” said festival Director Aaron Sala.

The Festival Village will be ready by today, and the 10-day festival will include more than 2,200 delegates, including artists, cultural practitioners, scholars and officials from participating nations. It will feature more than 50 programs and events, including conferences and symposiums, live performances, cultural workshops, hands-on demonstrations, films and storytelling.

FestPAC officially commences Thursday, but a private Wa‘a Arrival Ceremony will be held this morning at Kualoa Regional Park.

While 28 delegations were initially slated to participate, New Caledonia and Vanuatu have withdrawn from the event. Sala said Pitcairn Island withdrew its participation just last week.

Twenty-five representatives from each delegation will arrive at Kualoa Regional Park by canoe.

Although New Caledonia and Vanuatu are not participating, their hale will still be on display, while Pitcairn Island’s house will be repurposed for general cultural demonstrations.

The hale, each measuring 20 by 30 feet, are constructed using invasive albizia, macaranga and gunpowder trees, and designed by Architects Hawaii Ltd. and produced by the Albizia Project.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources removed over 1,000 invasive trees from about 2 acres of land in Waimanalo, which have been used to construct the village. “In the long run they will be repurposed and gifted to nonprofit organizations and schools for outdoor curriculum activities, etc.,” Sala said.

The city’s Department of Facility Maintenance, along with support from the Honolulu Police Department and the Department of Transportation Services, facilitated the creation of the Festival Village.

The city said in a statement that crews transported building materials for the hale from the Windward side to the Hawai‘i Convention Center over two days.

“I am incredibly proud that the City and County of Honolulu is hosting the 13th annual Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC),” Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement. “This event is a vibrant celebration of the rich cultural heritage and diversity of the Pacific Islands. It is an honor to welcome artists, performers, and visitors from across the region to share their traditions and stories with us. Together, we will create lasting memories and strengthen the bonds that unite our Pacific community.”

The Festival Village it­­self cost just under $3 million, primarily funded by Kamehameha Schools with $2.52 million and supplemented by $500,000 from the state.

The total FestPAC budget amounted to $20.39 million, with the majority of funding provided by the state, as it serves as the overall host of the festival.

“It’s actually a living village,” Sala said. “This is absolutely an exhibition, but the goal of the Festival Village really is to create that village atmosphere.”

He imagines that Cook Islanders will showcase their drumming, prompting a response from Solomon Islanders with their own cultural traditions, while Aotearoa desires to perform a haka in return.

“It’s a very organic experience and really an opportunity to bring the Pacific together,” Sala said.

He also said that there will be two immersive experiences One is a star compass that attendees can use to gaze upon the night sky; the other is an immersive experience, “where you stand in the center or anywhere within the space itself and you sort of are able to take in the sights and sounds of Hawaii.”

FestPAC runs Thursday through June 16, and many of the events are free and open to the public. In addition to the convention center, events will take place at the University of Hawaii Manoa, Bishop Museum and throughout Waikiki.

The city warned residents to expect traffic congestion in many areas as hundreds of VIPs and dignitaries frequent FestPAC sites.

For more information and a full schedule, visit the FestPAC website, festpachawaii.org/festival-schedule.