Baguio City, Philippines - The much-anticipated cerebration of the Baguio Flower Festival, popularly known as "Panagbenga”, will kick off on February 1, 2025.
The Session Road will bloom once again to offer visitors a chance to enjoy a version of the street promenade along the main thoroughfare in the city.
Under this year's theme "Blossom Beyond Boundaries", Panagbenga, a term culled from the Kankanaey language that means "blooming," is set to be a grand event that will captivate and inspire both locals and tourists alike. The festival aims to exhibit the diversity of talents in the city, its culture, and community collaboration.
Throughout the month, lots of activities shall take place like the much-anticipated "Grand Street Dancing" parade slated on February 22, which will be followed by the "Grand Float Parade" on February 23.
During the launching of the festival on Monday, January 6, covered live by the Baguio City Public Information Office, Baguio Flower Festival Foundation President Frederico Alquiroz mentioned that the theme ‘embodies the creativity, passion, and unity that define the community and inspired the people to aim higher, dream bigger, and achieve together’.
Alquiroz also brought major updates about the festival this year. He said that the college category of the Grand Street Dancing competition will return this year.
According to him, the addition of the college category, alongside with the high school, open, and cultural categories, is expected to add more vibrancy and talent to the event.
“Hopefully we will have enough participants for this reintroduced category. This is an exciting opportunity for our students to shine and showcase their brilliance and enthusiasm,” he added.
The prizes for the first-place winners in the Grand Float Parade increased also this year. The prize for the Large Float Category will be P700,000, while the Medium Float Category first place winners will receive P500,000.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong also spoke before the gathering and reiterated that the festival continues to evolve. He encouraged the public to participate actively in the celebration and to ensure that there was a smooth flow of activities during the month-long event.
"May this year's celebration (of Panagbenga) inspire us to continue blossoming beyond boundaries together," the mayor concluded.
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