The Baguio Flower Festival 2005: Bloom Baguio Bloom!

IT'S all systems go for the 10th staging of the Baguio Flower Festival with an array of activities aimed at luring in a huge crowd back to the city, especially after the meningococcemia scare.

A series of events will precede the formal launching of "Balik-Bulaklak Panagbenga 2005" on Valentine's Day, 8 a.m., at the City Hall grounds, which will also highlight the launching of the Baguio City Cycling Grand Pix by the National Cycling Federation of the Philippines.

Aside from the month-long school-and-barangay-based landscaping and arts competitions, cadets of the Philippine Military Academy will "salute" Panagbenga on Saturday, Feb. 12, via a parade and an open house at the premier military institution.

The following day, budding and renowned artists will express themselves on canvas by painting the "spirit of Panagbenga" through the "Paint-it-with-Flowers" of the Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom activity at Melvin Jones from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On Feb. 18, at 3 p.m., the city's senior citizens will be serenaded at Sunshine Park through the "harana at bulaklak" gala.

The following day at 8 a.m., officers and members of the University of the Philippines Baguio Astrum Scientis Sorority will do a street mural painting at the Baguio Convention Center grounds while the street party and food fest at the Burnham Park

skating rink is expected to tempt the young and old alike starting at 7 p.m. Part 2 of the tugtog at chibog, a concert featuring local talents and national artists amidst a festival of food from local restaurants, will continue on Feb. 25 and 26, also at the same venue.

The Camp John Hay, meanwhile, will play host to the Flower Tee Golf Tournament on the 25th, which organizers said is "the biggest open golf tournament pitting Baguio's best with the rest of the country's golfing aficionados."

At 2 p.m. on the 26th, the much-awaited "Flower Power Parade (street dancing)," an annual competition featuring the best dancers from high school, college and open categories vying for the title of the Best Street Dancing groups in their respective class clad in flower-themed costumes, will dance from Baguio Convention Center to the Burnham Park Athletic Bowl to the music spiced up by ethnic instruments. Local and domestic tourists are once again expected to jam Session Road, Baguio's main street, to witness the event.

At 6 p.m., the Department of Tourism will light up the sky with the "Bulaklak sa Langit" fireworks display, also at the Athletic Bowl.

Flower-decorated floats will replace the dancers the next day, Feb. 27, at 9 a.m., following the same route. The eagerly anticipated display of floats in various designs and made up of 90% fresh flowers will be participated in by various business establishments and organizations. Various marching bands vying for top honors in the high school and college level categories will accompany it. SM Baguio, meanwhile, will take care of the fireworks display that night.

A series of workshops on culture and the arts culminating in an exhibit aptly titled Children's Day, on the other hand, will take center stage from Feb. 28-March 2. Flowers used during the parade of floats will be recycled and used in the activity involving 9 to 12-year-old kids. A drum and lyre competition will spice up the event.

Session Road will also become a promenade area from Feb. 28-March 6, 8AM-11PM. The city's busiest street will be closed to vehicular traffic to give way to sidewalk cafes and stalls selling flower-themed trinkets and novelty products.The 10th Panagbenga will end with a bang on March 6 with another fireworks display and the awarding of winners of the different competitions.

Everyone is invited!

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