lA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government has lined up a total of 47 events for this year’s celebration of the month-long Strawberry Festival, the town’s crowd drawing event, which compliments the Panagbenga or flower festival of nearby Baguio City.
The month-long festival will start on March 2 with the opening of the town’s agro-industrial trade fair and best barangay booth competition at the public market grounds which will extend up to March 31.
The theme of this year’s festivities in the municipality is “A Colrful Panaspulan tan Pandadsahan – Strawberry Festival 2015 (A Colorful Gathering and Merry-making – Strawberry Festival 2015).
On March 6, two events will be simultaneously done, specifically the valley clean-up drive along roads, the Balili river and its tributaries which will be actively participated in by local residents, barangay officials, municipal officials and employees among others and the ecumenical service and opening program at the public market grounds.
On March 7, the La Trinidad tourism adventure at the valley will be held. It will be a G-string downhill bike challenge for bike enthusiasts wanting to go around the valley in their respective bikes. On March 7-8, there will be a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) basketball clinic at the municipal gymnasium.
On March 7-31, the art and photo lane at the municipal park will be done which will include art workshop and photo competitions and the nightly concert at the park which will be done at the public market grounds.
On March 9, the town will be joining the International Women’s Day celebration with its own program at the municipal gymnasium.
On March 13, bodybuilding aficionados will be treated to the Mr. and Ms. Strawberry bodybuilding pageant and the Biggest Loser challenge which will be both held at the municipal gym and the conduct of the indigenous games at the public market grounds.
On March 14, there will be a dog show at the public market, flower arrangement contest at the strawberry lane and strawberry punch boxing and Muaythai at the municipal gym.
On March 16, there will be ribbon-cutting for the opening of the strawberry lane and agro-industrial trade fair at the municipal park to be followed by the strawberry baking and pastry competition and the display of the world famous strawberry cake at the municipal gymnasium.
On March 18, the public will be treated with the colourful streetdancing parade to be followed by the ‘Panaspulan tan Pandadsahan’ at the public market grounds, ‘kekkan’ and multi-cultural celebrations and ówik tan tayaw’at the municipal gymnasium.
On March 19, there will be a procession in honor of St. Joseph Parish Church, followed the renewal of vows among interested couples at the municipal park and Strawberry Night Classic, an evening of wine, food and music, at the municipal gym.
A mini-float competition and parade and rum and lyre competition among barangays and establishments and Barangay Night will both be held on March 20.
The day will be filled up on March 21 with the conduct of the Strawberry fun run and walk, ‘Duting tan Dukto,” Search for the sweetest and biggest strawberry fruit, vegetable fun race, Battle of the Bands and mixed martial arts at the municipal gym.
On March 21-22, there will be an inter-barangay football championship and men’s and women’s invitational football cup at the Benguet State University (BSU) grounds.
On March 23-24, there will be the day care children recognition at the municipal gym followed by the La Trinidad Youth Convention and Acoustic Band competition at the public market on March 25.
On March 27, local talents will be featured in the La Trinidad Got Talent at the municipal gym which will be followed by the Dart Wars on March 27-28.
The coronation night of the Mr. and Ms. La Trinidad will be held at the municipal gym on March 28 which will be simultaneously done with the festival or horses or gymkhana around the valley on March 28-29.
The town will also host the Strawberry Festival mountain bike challenge and karate invitational competition on March 29.
A job fair will also be held at the municipal gym on March 30-31 in order to cater to the employment needs of local residents.
On the final date, March 31, there will be the Search for the cleanest and greenest barangays and schools, Search for the cleanest and greenest and most colorful business establishments and homes and the culminating and awarding program at the public market grounds.
By Dexter A. See
