Panagbenga Festival

Up north where the summer capital of the Philippines, the most unique and colorful festival is celebrated.

If the United States has the Pasadena Rose Parade and  Japan has the Cherry Blossoms Festival, the Philippines has the Panagbenga Festival. Panagbenga,  meaning “season of blooming,” is a flower festival that showcases culture, art, history and the diversity of the northern region. Celebrated every February, this feast is a month long celebration held in Baguio City. It is believed that the festival was created to uplift the spirit of the people after the devastating earthquake that struck the beautiful city in 1990.

Photo grabbed from Panagbenga Festival official website.

Baguio City, being one of the places with the nicest and coolest weather in the Philippines, has an advantage of growing very good quality flowers. The Panagbenga Festival highlights the most beautiful flowers in the region by street dancing, flower competitions, a grand parade and other fun and exciting activities. This year, locals and visitors alike look forward to fireworks display and a kite-flying challenge. To know the complete schedule of activities, click here.

Baguio City boasts many offerings to all tourists going northbound. The Burnham Park and the Mines’ View Park are the most visited destinations, especially for first timers. But if you’ve been to Baguio many times, you’d probably be looking for something new. Visit the BenCab Museum for a wonderful art day or go to the Tam-Awan Village for cultural immersion. Of course, don’t forget to try Ilocano dishes, such as dinengdeng, papaitan and pakbet.  

Tip: Make arrangements as early as possible. Baguio can get really busy this February.

Written By: Beth Javines