BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The anticipated grand street dance and grand float parades of Baguio’s annual Flower Festival, popularly known as Panagbenga (blossoming in Kankanaey language), are happening this weekend, February 22 and 23, respectively.
For the Grand Street Dance parade on Saturday, five elementary schools for the Drum and Lyre competition, and seven entries for the festival dance open category contest with their upbeat and rhythmic music, energy, elegance, and vivid costumes are expected to create fun and lively atmosphere.
The Saint Louis University and the Philippine Military Academy marching bands, and a guest contingent, Citizens Brigade Band Dasmariñas, Cavite, will add more excitement to the street dance parade.
The Grand Float Parade on Sunday will showcase the 42 floats, the biggest number of participating floats so far in the Panagbenga.
For the competing entries, there will be 11 for the small float category, 10 in the medium float, and 14 for the large float category.
Seven of the floats are non-competing . These are the floral floats of the City Government of Baguio, the Department of Tourism and the Hall of Famers- Baguio Country Club which has two floats, and SM Prime Holding.
The other non-competing floats are those of the Tau Gamma Phi Baguio Grand Council and the Paragon Hotel and Suites.
Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) chairperson and Baguio Country Club(BCC) General Manager Anthony De Leon invites Baguio folks and tourists alike to be part of the city’s homegrown festival.
“We would like to invite everyone, to witness not only the traditional street dance and float parade this weekend, also celebrate with us on our Super Centennial Parade”, De Leon said.
BCC, the the first and only 5-star mountain resort in the Philippines, and recognized as a National Heritage Site, is celebrating its 120th anniversary this February in its Super Centennial Parade on Feb. 21 is part of the 2025 Panagbenga.
Baguio City Administrator Bonifacio Dela Peña assured the city government’s full support to the BFFFI, in ensuring a successful grand parade weekends with the anticipated influx of visitors.
“We will try it to be very convenient to everyone, residents and tourists,” he said.
Baguio City Police Director Police Colonel Ruel Tagel assured that security and traffic plans are all set with around 1,200 police personnel and volunteers to be be deployed to ensure a peaceful, orderly, and successful Panagbenga weekend. (JDP/CCD with Arnmari Dela Cruz and Klaud Kaniteng-PIA-SLU Interns)
