Panagbenga

Festival

Nature and History

The panagbenga is a month-long annual flower festival in Baguio City, held in
February, which is created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise up from
the devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake.
It includes floats that are covered mostly with flowers not unlike those used in
Pasadena's Rose Parade in California. The festival also includes street dancing,
presented by dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes inspired by the Bendian, an Ibaloi
dance of celebration that came from the Cordillera region, market encounters and band
competitions, among other things.
The celebration was conceptualized by virtue of the idea of other festivals of the
cities or the towns in the Philippines. However, Baguio did not start as the town during
the colonial period of Spanish. The city was created by Americans on their occupation of
the Philippines and had a defender with a feast day.
The anniversary of this day is on September 1, which comes just right in the middle
of the rainy season of the country. However, the rainy season which doesn’t allow for any
parades and different activities. These are the highlights of this colorful festival. In order
to remedy this problem, the pioneers of the festival changed the date of celebration to
February.
Starting as a two-week festival with its growing popularity Panagbenga festival also
enhance its festivity to month-long celebrations. The most striking feature of the
Panagbenga festival is the people of Baguio city, who welcomes everyone to get
enchanted with the beautiful and breath-taking display of floats fully decorated with
flowers.
Props and Costumes
The props and costumes used in the celebration of the Panagbenga Festival
include, but are not limited to boats, floats, flowers, normal costumes and dance costumes
and street decorations.
However, what sets the festival apart
from all other festivals is the massive
emphasis on the colors of the props and the
festival in general.
Bright and multiple colors are used in
order to recreate the delightful aroma and
image of blooming flowers, which is the
central motivation behind why we witness
ensembles and props of brilliant hues each
year, as the occupants have a tendency to
imagine the festival of Panagbenga as a tribute to the spring and its hue.
When it comes to costumes, although the flowers are the most dominant elements
of the festival, some people still choose a costume that featured the most popular
products of the city including strawberries, woven baskets and a broom known as “Walis
Tambo” made of local plant material. They put all the spring colors in dressing, in face
painting, and decorations. Theme shows that harmony and enthusiasm of a festival. To
capture the fun of festival, everyone strictly follows the theme and the colors of the festival.

If you attend the annual Panagbenga festival, then you will be able to witness
some of the greatest local artwork and fashion during the whole month of Panagbenga
festival and especially during the parade and dance, with regard to both boys and girls.
Celebration of the Festival

Opening Ceremony Bazaars and Trade Fairs

Canao, or the Celebration Dance

Float Parade Closing Ceremony