Samoa's festival calendar runs mostly from June to October, when the dry season makes outdoor celebrations possible.
Independence Day (1–3 June) is the biggest event of the year. Fautasi races — traditional long outrigger canoes paddled by large crews — take place in Apia harbour. There are also horse races, an independence triathlon, sporting finals, speeches from tulafale (talking chiefs), and feasting in both public and private settings.
Teuila Festival runs for about two weeks in early September and is the second major celebration. Named after the red ginger flower, it features fautasi races, church choir competitions, traditional dance and song performances, talent shows, beauty competitions, and the cricket and squash finals. It is lively and well worth timing your visit around.
Palolo Rising happens once a year in late October or early November, at a date determined by the lunar calendar. Palolo are small reef worms that rise to the surface to spawn in vast numbers in the hours before dawn. Villages across Samoa send boats out in the dark with lanterns and nets to scoop up the worms, which are then eaten raw or cooked — they taste something like caviar. It is one of the most distinctly Samoan events a visitor can witness.
White Sunday (second Sunday in October) is a national holiday dedicated to children. Children wear white, lead church services, and are served first at the family feast — a reversal of the usual order.