The inaugural festival was planned to coincide with the anniversary visit of Queen Elizabeth II, who attended the gala opening concert in June 1997.
During the day, the choirs would attend workshops, clinics and masterclasses, as well as perform for free at places across the city, including the airport, hotel lobbies and churches.
The festival concluded with the Grande Finale, a massive concert held at Mile One Centre.
The symposium was designed to address a variety of aspects of singing and the human voice including artistic, physiological, cultural, sociological, historical, pedagogical, psychological, creative/compositional.
The City of Corner Brook on the West Coast of the Island was also the host of a biannual Festival 500, smaller than that in St. John's.