It’s that time of the year again when people make a beeline to the Summer Capital of the Philippines, and it’s not even summer yet! The Panagbenga Festival, or the Baguio Flower Festival, has become one of the most popular city celebrations in the country, attracting local and foreign tourists by the hundreds of thousands.
It all started in 1995 when Baguio officials agreed to come up with a citywide celebration that will encourage tourists to visit, creating more business for Baguio locals during the sleepy gap between Christmas and Holy Week. Their ideas flourished (like the blooming sunflowers in summer!) to become what we now call the Panagbenga Festival (panagbenga is a Kankanaey term meaning “a season of blooming” or “a time for flowering”.). And since it was first celebrated two decades ago, what used to be a two-week citywide event now spans a total of five weeks, including the first week of March! Each weekend is filled with activities like grand parades, kite-flying competitions, and fireworks displays while weekday visitors can bask in the flower exhibits, bazaars, and food fairs along the famous Burnham Park, Session Road, and Melvin Jones Grandstand. The city is anything but sleepy, I tell you. And you have to experience it at least once.
So to help you plan your trip, here is the schedule of activities for this year’s Panagbenga Festival:
February 1, 2016
- Grand Opening Parade: Drum and Lyre Competition
- Location: Panagbenga Park, Session Road-Magsaysay Avenue-Harrison Road-Melvin Jones Football Grounds
- Time: 8am
- Opening Concert
- Location: Atrium, SM City Baguio
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 2 to 7, 2016
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 8, 2016
- Chinese Spring Festival
- Location: City-wide
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 9 to 13, 2016
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 14, 2016
- Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilya Baguio
- Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom
- Panagbenga 2016 Kite-Flying Challenge
- Panagbenga Variety Show
- Fireworks Display
- Location: Melvin Jones Grandstand and Football Grounds
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Melvin Jones Grandstand and Football Grounds
February 15 to 17, 2016
- PMA Grand Alumni Homecoming
- Location: PMA Loakan Road
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Melvin Jones Grandstand and Football Grounds
February 18, 2016
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 19, 2016
- Floral Arrangement Competition (Judging)
- Location: Baguio City National High School
- Barangay Clean and Green Landscaping Competition (Judging)
- All Baguio City Barangays
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 19 to 21, 2016
- School Based Landscaping Competition (Judging)
- Location: Baguio City Schools
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive Burnham
February 22 to 26, 2016
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 27, 2016
- Grand Street Dancing Parade
- Location: Panagbenga Park-Session Road-Magsaysay Avenue-Harrision Road-Athletic Bowl
- Time: 8AM
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 28, 2016
- Grand Float Parade
- Location: DILG – Session Road – Harrision Road – Athletic Bowl
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
February 29 to March 4, 2016
- Session Road in Bloom
- Location: Session Road
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
March 5, 2016
- Pony Boys Day
- Location: Wright Park
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
March 6, 2016
- Panagbenga Closing Ceremonies and Grand Fireworks Display
- Location: Athletic Bowl and Various Areas in Baguio CBD
- Baguio Blooms Exhibition and Exposition
- Location: Lake Drive, Burnham Park
Pack warm clothes as February could be one of the coldest months in Baguio. Bring comfortable (and durable!) footwear because you will be walking a lot. Traffic has become worse over the years and taking your car to the city proper during the festivities may not a good idea.
Do your share in keeping the city clean and orderly too.
Have a safe trip and enjoy the festival!
Source: http://www.baguiocity.co/panagbenga-2016-schedule-of-activities/
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