BAGUIO CITY – The 40-day calendar of events, programs and activities in various venues in the city to celebrate the Yuletide season fired off on Sunday, November 24, 2019 to spice up the merry-making in the city.
The festivities will be topped by the so-called Baguio Christmas Fair, a European-inspired replication of the Christmas Market in vogue in recent years which will be based at the Rose Garden in Burnham Park.
The Christmas Fair formally opened to the public in the afternoon of November 24, 2019 with the special performance of the world famous Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.
Gladys Vergara, interim chairperson of the private-sector-led Baguio tourism Council (BTC), said that the Christmas calendar which has been prepared in coordination with the Hotels and Restaurants Association of Baguio (HRAB) and the city government showcases all events and activities under the umbrella theme of ‘An enchanted Christmas’ that will run from November 24, 2019 to January 6, 2020.
Aside from the Christmas Fair from November 24, 2019 to January 6, 2020, the other crowd-drawing events lined up by the BTC for the Yuletide season festivities in the city are; A Holiday Acoustic Set by Julian and Mikee on November 29, Holiday Float Show by Elmo Lorenzo Inso on November 30, grand launching of “An Enchanted Christmas” on December 1, switch-on lighting of the Christmas Tree at the Session road rotunda with the simultaneous Christmas lights up of buildings, roads, overpasses and flyovers; Saint Louis University (SLU) lantern parade, lights and sounds show at the Malcolm Square and fireworks display.
On December 6 at the Rose Garden, there will be the YesUCan the concert, while the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) nutcracker parade will featuring Ballet Baguio’s excerpts from the Nutcracker on December 8.
The Muskgarten Christmas Party will be held on December 12 while there will be a Christmas gift-giving by Mabel Tolentino with Smooth Jazz band on December 15 followed by Ongkoleyt Day and Christmas Choral Festival on December 15.
There will also be anticipated masses for the Simbang Gabi on December 16-24 aside from the availability of the Soup Kitchen.
In Christmas Day, there will be scheduled Christmas Day activities at the Park followed by the Phonex Fuels Day on December 28, the Edralins Show on December 29, Rizal Day commemorative activities on December 30 and New Year countdown on December 31.
Vergara expressed her gratitude to the corporate and institutional sponsors who have shared Christmas cheers in more ways than one, considering that without them, the lined-up activities will not be successful.
The BTC is a private sector-led civic organization that is co-chaired by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong aimed at conducting of tourism-related activities to spur the sustained growth of the local tourism industry.
By Dexter A. See
