Panagbenga grand parade set on March 21
Credit to Author: Dexter A. See| Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 16:06:22 +0000
BAGUIO CITY: The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) has set a new schedule for the 25th edition of the Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival as prevention against the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
This year’s flower festival theme is “Panagbenga 2020: Blooming Through the Years.”
BFFFI Executive Committee co-chairman and Baguio Country Club General Manager Anthony de Leon said the Panagbenga Flower Tee Golf tournament, earlier scheduled for this weekend, was moved to February 22 at the Baguio Country Club fairway while the judging of the school-based landscaping competition would be held on March 4 to 6.
The Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilyang Baguio, Panagbenga Open Kite Flaying Contest, Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom, Panagbenga Cultural Show and initial fireworks display will be held simultaneously on March 1.
The much-awaited grand opening parade will be on March 21 while the grand float parade will be on March 29.
The Panagbenga Cultural Dance competition of the different tribes is scheduled on March 22, with 34 contingents and about 30 floats expected to take part in the grand street dancing parade and grand float parade, respectively.
BFFFI Chief of Staff Evangeline Payno said the 34 street dancing contingents would be composed of elementary contingents, secondary street dancers, participating contingents to the open category and cultural contingents.
De Leon said the rescheduling of the major flower festival events next month was decided following a close coordination among health authorities, local officials and the BFFFI officials, who have observed that the city has been managing very well the city amid the Covid-19 scare.
On March 28, the public will be entertained by the performers of the grand street dancing parade followed by their field performance at the Baguio Athletic Bowl.
The weeklong “Session Road in Bloom” was originally scheduled on March 2 to 8 and was moved to March 30 to April 5. The whole stretch of Session Road will be closed to vehicular traffic to pave way for a promenade area with sidewalk cafes and flower-inspired products and handicrafts for sale.
The traditional Sponsors Day will be held on March 28 to 29 at the Baguio Athletic Bowl and the Melvin Jones Grandstand while the Pony Boys Day will be held on April 4 at the Wright Park.
The flower festival closing ceremonies that was earlier scheduled on March 8 will be held on April 5 at the Baguio Athletic Bowl to be capped by a grand fireworks display, one of the much-awaited events of the Panagbenga.
The Panagbenga is the only festival in the country included in the world list of festival prepared by the International Festivals and Events Association.