Street dance, float parade to return in Baguio's Panagbenga Festival 2023

The street dance and float parade will be back in the celebration of the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City in 2023, the Baguio City government said.

Local officials said the grand street dance parade will be held on February 25, 2023 while the grand float parade is scheduled on February 26, 2023, according to a report of GMA Regional TV Cagayan de Oro’s Cyril Chaves, host of At Home with GMA Regional TV, on GMA News’ Unang Balita on Tuesday.

“It would be a reset button. All the features of Panagbenga 2019 will be featured in 2023 Panagbenga and there will be no holds barred,” Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said.

Participants in the 24th Panagbenga Flower Festival in Baguio City perform before a crowd of local and foreign tourists on March 3, 2019. Baguio City will bring back the street dance and float parade in 2023. Dave Leprozo/File photo

Due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, some activities in the Panagbenga Festival have been canceled since 2020.

Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc. (BFFFI) trustee and executive committee chairman Anthony de Leon said they are working with the local government to manage the expected traffic during the occasion.

“We have cooperated with the local government and the traffic management so that this won't be a major issue,” he said.

The Panagbenga Festival 2023 was launched through a ceremony on Monday with the theme “A Renaissance of Wonder and Beauty.”

The festival will have its grand opening on February 1, 2023 and will end on March 5, 2023 with a grand aerial fireworks display. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News