The Mount Hagen Show is one of Papua New Guinea's great sing-sing gatherings. Cultural groups arrive from across the highlands and farther afield, wearing feathered headdresses, shells, body paint, grass skirts, bark belts, and masks, then perform in a vast, noisy swirl of drums and chanting.
This is the reason many travellers come to Mount Hagen at all. Book well ahead, go early in the morning to see performers preparing, and arrange transport before the crowds build. The show usually runs in August, but dates can shift, so confirm the current schedule before building a trip around it.