Panagbenga: Blooming in Colors

Panagbenga Festival, also known as the Baguio Flower Festival, is an annual event held in the Philippine city of Baguio during the month of February. The festival is one of the most anticipated events in the country due to its emphasis on the city's extensive cultural history. But this year, Panagbenga returned to its colorful glory after an extended absence due to the pandemic.

This year's Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City was a resounding success, thanks to the city's effort to make it more exciting and grander than previous celebrations before and after the two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. The session in Bloom was a highlight of the festival, featuring not just cosplayers, but also numerous stalls selling various handmade and affordable products such as jewelry, accessories, charm bracelets, handmade bags, plants, and food.

The streets were alive with music from bands who encouraged passersby to sing along or request a song. Dancers also hyped up the crowd, encouraging both tourists and residents to dance and have fun, often receiving tips from enthusiastic participants. The festival was a testament to the city's resilience and commitment to showcasing the vibrant culture of Baguio City.

The Panagbenga Festival is held every year in Baguio City to celebrate the arrival of spring and the blossoming of flowers, as described by local resident Justine Sano. The festival runs from the first of February through the first week of March.

When the city's economy was devastated by the 1990 earthquake, the Panagbenga Festival was born. In 1995, the festival was established with the aim of drawing in visitors and reviving the local economy. A term from the Kankanaey language, "Panagbenga" means "a season of blooming." Because of the abundance of flowers, the street dancing parade in which the dancers wear flowers (especially sunflowers), and the world-famous floral floats from the city's various businesses and institutions, Baguio City truly blossoms during the Panagbenga festival.

The Grand Parade is the festival's highlight. This consists flower-decorated vehicles. In this category of the festival, participating companies can showcase their creativity.

Since the Grand Parade's floats are mostly made of flowers, flower shops and farms will get many bulk orders during this time. All the different kinds of flowers that grow in and around Baguio and the surrounding provinces are used for the floats, from sunflowers to roses to chrysanthemums to everlastings to carnations and more besides.

The companies that participated in this year's Grand Parade did an exceptional job. Baguio residents and visitors alike lined the route to the Baguio

Cathedral in anticipation of the grand parade. Companies such as Jollibee, Sitel Philippines, Converge, Palawan Express, TIEZA, Mang Inasal, Avilon Zoo, Zaparita's Garden, the Province of Benguet, and The Fraternal Order of Eagles (Philippine Eagles) marched in the parade.

Some businesses even had Filipino TV personalities join them on their floats. Celebrities such as Lovi Poe, Kylie Padilla, and Cristine Reyes all participated in the grand parade.

It is clear from the many Facebook posts, especially those made in the Facebook Group Sa Baguio, that both visitors and locals had a great time during this year's celebration of the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City. Everyone had a good time at the party, so the city's efforts were worthwhile.

As the Panagbenga Festival brought joy and celebration to Baguio's visitors and locals at long last. Something that the two years of the Covid -19 pandemic prevented them from experiencing. Festivals brighten our days, but Panagbenga festival does so much more.