LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A total of 18 floats, five drum and lyre groups, and nine cultural dance ensembles filled the streets of this town, as the 2025 Strawberry Festival brought the community together on March 22, 2025.
The parade began at the La Trinidad Municipal Hall and ended at the Benguet State University (BSU) Oval, where judges evaluated performances and floats for the competition. The winners of the Float Parade will receive their awards on March 28, 2025, at the La Trinidad Municipal Gym. The floats were divided into three categories: Valley of Colors, Pro-Environment, and Private. Barangays Beckel, Puguis, Wangal, Bineng, Bahong, and Pico competed under the Valley of Colors category, while Barangays Alno, Lubas, Shilan, Ambiong, Balili, Alapang, Poblacion, Betag, and Tawang showcased their floats in the Pro-Environment category. The Private category featured floats from Gardenia, Solane, and Radiowealth Finance.
The festival’s drum and lyre competition saw Puguis Elementary School taking the championship title, followed by Buyagan Elementary School as the first runner-up, Lubas Elementary School in second place, Pico Elementary School in third, and Immaculate Heart of Mary in fourth. In the cultural performances category, San Jose High School Cultural Group earned the Creative Performance of the Year award, while Tongtongan Cultural Performing Arts from Lubas received the Cultural Performance of the Year award.
Float makers and organizers shared insights into their creative process. Raimton Andres, one of the floatmakers, revealed that their team spent around two weeks constructing their float. He described the challenges they faced, stating, “Iyong mga materials, tapos iyong mga bulaklak natin, nagmahal na rin…at mostly, indigenous iyong ano natin, kailangan natin pumunta sa gubat.”
Barangay Kagawad Olive Olida reflected on the float parade’s improvements compared to previous years, saying, “Siguro, mas okay ngayon kaysa last year.” She also suggested increasing the prizes for the float competition to compensate for the significant labor and costs involved in production.
La Trinidad Municipal Mayor Hon. Romeo Salda explained the inspiration behind the festival’s theme, “Semek La Trinidad.” He emphasized the importance of community participation, stating, “We want the Strawberry Festival to be joined by the community… ‘Semek’ is an Ibaloi term which means love, so we should love La Trinidad.”
With its impressive displays, engaging performances, and a unifying theme, the 2025 Strawberry Festival successfully highlighted La Trinidad’s culture and traditions while strengthening the community’s bond. By Gian Laddit
