Panagbenga 2023 Schedule of Activities

Where do broken hearts go? Certainly not in Baguio City anymore! If you have the yearning to extend the holidays, then get out of Metro Manila and head over to Baguio. Aside from enjoying the cold weather, there is something to look forward to every first quarter of the year, namely, the Baguio Flower Festival. Interested in what happens in the city during this time? Let Lumina Homes give you a preview of what it's like!

Panagbenga Festival: What's in a name?

Every February, instead of just Valentines' Day, Baguio City celebrates the Panagbenga, an annual flower festival in the Philippines. But what does the term “Panagbenga” mean? From the Kankanaey term meaning “season of blooming”, it celebrates the time when people can witness flowers grown in Baguio and the Cordillera province in full bloom. This festival reflects the history, traditions, culture, and values of both Baguio and the Cordilleras, as well. What's great about this flower festival is that it lasts for more than a month and flourishes through community spirit involvement through a series of activities such as street dancing, a grand float parade, a market encounter, and a professional landscaping competition, to name a few.

A Boost to Baguio City's Tourism and Commerce

Panagbenga Festival is among the most-awaited festivals in the Philippines. This is is a crowd-drawing event and a sight to behold due to the city's abundance of flowers. In this Baguio Flower Festival, tourists and locals alike get to celebrate their breathtaking flora while the highlighting the culture and creativity of the Cordilleras every year. 

Aside from admiring the beauty and wonder of flora in Baguio, Panagbenga continuously contributes to Baguio’s further development in heritage and commerce. To boost the locals' morale and attract tourists to Baguio after the 1990 earthquake, government officials celebrated the best of Baguio, as showcased in this flower festival. Hence, Panagbenga Festival reflects the resilience of the people of Baguio and the Cordilleras, similar to a thousand flowers ushering in a season of blooming. As a result, more people from all over the Philippines are on the scout for an affordable house and lot for sale in the area.

Panagbenga 2023 Schedule of Activities

Just like every establishment and event in the Philippines, the celebration of the Panagbenga festival was canceled during the height of the pandemic. More people were confined to their own house and lot in the Philippines. That's why in 2023, Baguio City and its famous Panagbenga Festival comes back in full swing. In fact, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said it will be no-holds-barred during its launch in December 2022. Hence, here's what you're waiting for. The 2023 Schedule of Activities has just been revealed.

As Panagbenga celebrates the "season of blooming" every February, the festival also showcases the Igorot culture to visitors who flock to the city in search of extended festive cheer after the Christmas holidays or even a house and lot in the Philippines to call their own. That's why, this February 1 to March 5, 2023, Panagbenga Festival is back with the theme "A Rennaisance of Wonder and Beauty."

Now, with the steady decline of cases in Baguio City, we all await the Panagbenga Festival highlights such as the Session Road in Bloom, the Lantern Parade, Professional Landscaping Competition, a fluvial parade, and even a Panagbenga fitness frenzy among others, return to the same vibrant celebration of the Panagbenga before the pandemic. There's something happening every day and here's what you can expect and where it would be.

• Feb 1 - Panagbenga Grand Opening Day Parade 

This is where the fun starts. Everyone is welcome to the venue of the Grand Opening Day Parade Panagbenga Park-Session Road-Harrison Road-Melvin Jones Grandstand & Football Grounds, where you can see different parades and Mardi Gras dancing, and reveal the theme: "Renaissance of wonder and Beauty".

• Feb 1 to Mar 5 - Panagbengascapes: Landscaping Competition and Exhibition 

Happening on Melvin Jones Grandstand & Football Grounds, the Panagbenga professional landscaping competition and exhibition of experts showcase their eye in landscape and floral design. Simultaneously, the 17-year-old event Market Encounter is renamed the Baguio Blooms: A Market Encounter will also happen in Juan Luna Drive and Skateboard Area, Lake Drive, Burnham Park.

• Feb 5, 12, 19 - Panagbenga Sundays Showcase

With Session Road in Bloom, the Panagbenga Sundays Showcase includes the whole stretch of Session road closed for festivities.

• Feb 11, 14, 15 - Flower Arrangement and Landscaping Competitions

Because Panagbenga is for everyone, there is an event for students, too. They get to participate in school-based Flower Arrangement and Landscaping Competitions which occurs in participating schools, in Elementary and High School Category.

• Feb 12 - Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilya Baguio 

There's something for families, too. Witness the celebration of the arts with "Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom: An Open Painting Exhibition", an exciting Panagbenga Kite-Flying Challenge, mind-enriching Panagbenga Cultural Show, and to get the juices going, a Funagbenga Fitness Frenzy, all these activities will happen in Melvin Jones Grandstand & Football Grounds.

• Feb 16 to 18 - PMA Alumni Homecoming

It's time for a reunion with PMA Alumni Homecoming happening at the Philippine Military Academy, Fort del Pilar.

• Feb 18 - Panagbenga Cultural Dance Competition 

This is where street dancing performed by dancers dressed in flower-inspired costumes showcase their passion for dancing as they are parade with floats covered largely in flowers which happens in Melvin Jones Grandstand & Football Grounds.

• Feb 19 

Want some fun water activities? Then this is it. Enjoy the Fluvial Parade and Mardi Gras at the Lake from Session Road to Burnham Lake.

• Feb 24 - A Tribute to the Father of Panagbenga: Atty. Damaso E. Bangaoet Jr. Statue Unveiling Ceremony 

Considered the Father of Panagbenga, Atty. Damaso E Bangaoet Jr is a major part of Panagbenga and hence commemorated with a statue and statue unveiling ceremony on Panagbenga Park, South Drive.

• Feb 24 to 25 - Flower Tree Golf Classic 

• Feb 25 - Grand Street Dance Parade 

• Feb 25 to 26 

Witness the Panagbenga Festival Sponsors on their own Panagbenga Festival Sponsors Row on Panagbenga Park - Session Road - Harrison Road - Melvin Jones Grandstand & Football Grounds.

• Feb 26 

Check out the Grand Float Parade which will drive by the DILG - Session Road -Harrison Road -Lake Drive-Melvin Jones and Grandstand & Football Grounds.

• Feb 27 to Mar 5 - Session Road in Bloom 

• March 3-4

Want something unique? Check out the Flower-tee golf classic in the Baguio Country Club

• Mar 4 - Pony Boys’ Day 

Are you an equestrian aficionado? Then head over to Wright Park this day to witness Pony Boys' Day.

• Mar 5 - Awarding and Closing Ceremonies

Even though it's officially the last day, there are still lots of community spirit involvement to witness in the Melvin Jones Grandstand & Football Grounds. You can also enjoy the Grand Aerial Fireworks Display as seen in Session Road and Burnham Park.

Want to be near the festivities without worrying about travel accommodations and expenses? Then you can move in closer to Baguio City with Lumina Homes. Choose from the Lumina Homes property listing, or talk to an accredited seller today!