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Baguio City is famous as the summer capital of the Philippines. But aside from its near-freezing temperature and the popular Burnham Park, it is also home to one of the country’s famous events—the Panagbenga Festival or also known to many as the Baguio Flower Festival.

Just like the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon, Panagbenga is also one of the most colorful celebrations in the Philippines. From street dancing to flower-filled floats, Panagbenga is a feast for the senses that attracts thousands of tourists every year.



What Is Panagbenga Festival?


Panagbenga Festival is an annual flower festival celebrated in Baguio City every February. “Panagbenga” comes from the Kankanaey term, which translates to “season of blooming.” And Baguio City indeed blooms during the festival as it showcases floral floats with various designs and formations. Furthermore, festival attendees are treated to lively native dances, food strips, pop-up shops and many more activities that are unique to Baguio.
Loading...


How Did The Panagbenga Festival Start?

Baguio City is known for three things: butterflies, pine trees, and flowers. Because of its cool temperature, Baguio is a haven for growing flowers which can be found in almost every corner of the city. Given this, it only makes sense for the national government and the people of Baguio to pay tribute to its blooms and celebrate it through a festival.

The Philippines has so many festivities with parallel religious and indigenous elements as their focal point. However, this does not apply to Panagbenga, and the reason for that is Baguio City’s history itself.



Baguio only became a city after the American occupation. Additionally, the city was not a former colonial town, which means it has no patron saint with a feast day to celebrate like most cities in the Philippines. Furthermore, the city’s charter day every September is rainy, which makes it the least ideal month for any celebration.

Ultimately, Atty. Damaso E. Bangaoet, Jr. floated the idea of a flower festival in February, and the rest is history. Baguio City held its first Panagbenga Festival back in 1996 as a way to boost tourism after an earthquake devastated the locality. Originally, it was called the Baguio Flower Festival. However, it was later renamed Panagbenga. Since then, the festival has only grown bigger, pulling in tourists from across the country and the world.

For those who are planning to book a stay for Panagbenga, I have a list of 10 Best Hotels to Book Near Burnham Park in Baguio.


What to See and Expect for Panagbenga?

Panagbenga is a month-long festival that features a jam-packed roster of activities each year. In fact, most of these events carry over until early March. Below are some of its highlights:

Grand Float Parade

Panagbenga offers something for all types of tourists joining the celebrations, but its highlight is the Grand Float Parade. This most-awaited portion of the Panagbenga Festival includes floats in dozens with colorful and elaborately-designed fresh flower decks. Accompanied by a marching band, the tour starts from Upper Session Road and ends at the Melvin Jones Grandstand.



The Grand Street Dance Parade

A Philippine festival is not complete without the merriment on the street. That said, Panagbenga’s grand parade includes street dancing with competing groups. Festival-goers can witness this event as it starts in Panagbenga Park, follow it to Harrison Road, and finish off at the Baguio Atheltic Bowl.

Other Activities In The Panagbenga Festival

Aside from the float parades and street dance competitions, the Panagbenga Festival includes many more activities that gather crowds throughout the month. One of these is the Session Road in Bloom, which is a display of Baguio’s most beautiful flowers along the main shopping street.

Also part of Panagbenga is a drum and lyre competition, a professional landscaping competition, a horticultural exhibition, and other cultural performances. In addition, there are also bazaars from where visitors can buy Baguio’s trademark products, food, and handicrafts. All in all, these events showcase the city’s rich cultural heritage and celebrate the beauty of the surrounding natural resources.

To see the latest events and schedule of activities, go to Panagbenga Festival Schedule.


ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN BAGUIO 

Klook.com

Panagbenga Traffic Advisory

For the guidance of our visiting guests and motorists, please note the following re-routing schemes courtesy of our Baguio City Police Office. 

The following roads will be closed for the Panagbenga Grand Opening Parade, Grand Street Dance Parade and Float Parade.

PARADE ROUTE:
  • From Panagbenga Park, whole stretch of session rd; going down Center Mall Magsaysay to Harrison Road Jose Abadsantos Lake; Drive End- Athletic Bowl.

Also closed fm 5:00AM – Until the activity is over are the following:
  • Teachers Camp-South drive junction to Panagbenga Park. To be used/utilized by the participants of the opening, street dancing & float parade.
  • Fr Carlu loop/street – U-turn at Cathedral (post office loop – two-way traffic going to Leonarwood Rd and going down Gen. Luna – Bonifacio area)
  • Govpack Rd going to Session Rd. – U-turn at Govpack allowed (at the designated u-turn slot)
  • Calderon St going to Session Rd
  • Session Mabini is open to traffic. However, during the parade, upper Mabini will be closed. All vehicles coming from assumption Gen.Luna may take Gen. Luna Magsaysay Rd or upper Gen. Luna Rd.
  • Going down Abanao -juction of lower Shagem –Abanao Rd. All vehicles going down Abanao take lower Shagem St. Selected PUJs with loading area along Kayang may take going down Abanao then turn left at gas station to upper Shagem – Kayang area.

Also closed fm 5:00AM – Until the activity is over are the following:
  • Bayanihan Lake drive area – all vehicles not allowed to enter bayanihan going to km 0 or lake drive during the parade. Only PUJs allowed at Perfecto St. With limited number as agreed during the meeting of PUJs assn and BCPO-TEU
  • Lake drive – Jose Abad Santos St. No entry at the entrance of Kisad-Jose Abad Santos St going to Athletic Bowl or parking area.
  • Y shape or center mall area – no entry going to rice section/towards km-0 before and during the parade. All affected PUJs and private vehicles will take Bonifacio St.
  • All deliveries be done before 5:00am on feb 01, 2019 and march 02 & 03, 2019 to avoid being trap within the CBD area.
  • All vehicles who wish to leave the CBD area before the parade will start may do so but advise not to take the area of the parade route.

No Parking Areas During Panagbenga

Strictly no parking along the parade route from Panagbenga Park uppers – lower Session Rd. – Harrison Rd. Jose Abad Santos – Lake Drive.
 
STRICTLY NO PARKING ALONG THE FOLLOWING ROADS:
  • Whole stretch of Leonard wood Rd
  • Whole stretch of Gen. Luna Rd
  • Whole stretch of TM Kalaw 1 & 2 area including Government Center Rd
  • Whole stretch of Kisad Rd
  • Whole stretch of Legarda Rd
  • Harrison Rd
  • Abanao Rd including Abanao extension
  • Shanum St and Carino St
  • Salvoza drive and Bautista drive
  • Yandoc St – Legarda Rd
  • Naguilian Rd fm JCT Bokawkan to 3rd Rd Quezon hill
 

Recommended Parking Areas

All available pay parking areas:
  • Cooyesan pay parking
  • Ganza pay parking area
  • Old library pay parking area
  • Abanao Square
  • Baliwag Abanao pay parking
  • Maharlika pay parking area
  • Center mall pay parking area
  • Mabini Cedar Peak & Joem pay parking
  • SM pay parking
  • UB pay parking

All available school for pay parking areas:
  • Baguio City High School
  • Quezon Elem. School
  • Mabini Elem. School

Free parking area
  • GSIS Compound, DPS Brgy.


Reminders
  • All PUJ associations affected by the re-routing scheme should be on express system. PUV/Buses with Loading Terminals along/within the affected areas shall temporarily relocate and will be restricted from such streets starting @ 5:00AM until such roads/streets are declared clear.
  • The owners of barren spaces where parking is suitable should be encouraged and subsequently authorized to allow parking with pay for a reasonable amount provided that traffic flow will not be impeded.
  • Two-way traffic scheme will be implemented along Post Office Loop towards Leonard Wood Rd until its Junction with North Drive during the major parades.
  • Buses and Trucks will not be allowed passage after 5:00AM within the CBD and along Kisad Road, Legarda Road and other streets closely intersecting with the streets of CBD.
  • For the TTMD-City Engineering Office to ensure the service of the towing trucks and no unattended vehicle will obstruct the Parade Route or venue. All vehicles parked along the parade route beyond 6:00AM shall be towed.

Motorists are advised to take Tubao-Nangalisan Asin Road/ or Baoang Naguilian Road, expect heavy traffic at Marcos Highway due to volume of vehicles going to Baguio City for the celebration of Panagbenga Festival.

For those who are planning to book a stay for Panagbenga, I have a list of 10 Best Hotels to Book Near Burnham Park in Baguio.


ACTIVITIES AND TOURS IN MANILA


Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc.

For basic inquiries on all Panagbenga events:
BCVB Building, Abad Santos Drive, Burnham Park, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 Telefax: (+63)(74) 442 4315
secretariat@panagbengaflowerfestival.com

For Sponsorship & Exhibitor, please email:
exhibits@panagbengaflowerfestival.com

For Baguio Blooms Exhibition & Exposition and Session Road in Bloom, please email:
exhibits@panagbengaflowerfestival.com


Where to go after attending Panagbenga? Check out my Baguio Travel Guide and my list of 25 Tourist Spots to Visit in Baguio City!


IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please message us on Facebook.

WHERE TO STAY IN BAGUIO:


PANAGBENGA: Baguio Flower Festival Guide (History and Activities to See)


Baguio City is famous as the summer capital of the Philippines. But aside from its near-freezing temperature and the popular Burnham Park, it is also home to one of the country’s famous events—the Panagbenga Festival or also known to many as the Baguio Flower Festival.

Just like the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon, Panagbenga is also one of the most colorful celebrations in the Philippines. From street dancing to flower-filled floats, Panagbenga is a feast for the senses that attracts thousands of tourists every year.



What Is Panagbenga Festival?


Panagbenga Festival is an annual flower festival celebrated in Baguio City every February. “Panagbenga” comes from the Kankanaey term, which translates to “season of blooming.” And Baguio City indeed blooms during the festival as it showcases floral floats with various designs and formations. Furthermore, festival attendees are treated to lively native dances, food strips, pop-up shops and many more activities that are unique to Baguio.
Loading...


How Did The Panagbenga Festival Start?

Baguio City is known for three things: butterflies, pine trees, and flowers. Because of its cool temperature, Baguio is a haven for growing flowers which can be found in almost every corner of the city. Given this, it only makes sense for the national government and the people of Baguio to pay tribute to its blooms and celebrate it through a festival.

The Philippines has so many festivities with parallel religious and indigenous elements as their focal point. However, this does not apply to Panagbenga, and the reason for that is Baguio City’s history itself.



Baguio only became a city after the American occupation. Additionally, the city was not a former colonial town, which means it has no patron saint with a feast day to celebrate like most cities in the Philippines. Furthermore, the city’s charter day every September is rainy, which makes it the least ideal month for any celebration.

Ultimately, Atty. Damaso E. Bangaoet, Jr. floated the idea of a flower festival in February, and the rest is history. Baguio City held its first Panagbenga Festival back in 1996 as a way to boost tourism after an earthquake devastated the locality. Originally, it was called the Baguio Flower Festival. However, it was later renamed Panagbenga. Since then, the festival has only grown bigger, pulling in tourists from across the country and the world.

For those who are planning to book a stay for Panagbenga, I have a list of 10 Best Hotels to Book Near Burnham Park in Baguio.


What to See and Expect for Panagbenga?

Panagbenga is a month-long festival that features a jam-packed roster of activities each year. In fact, most of these events carry over until early March. Below are some of its highlights:

Grand Float Parade

Panagbenga offers something for all types of tourists joining the celebrations, but its highlight is the Grand Float Parade. This most-awaited portion of the Panagbenga Festival includes floats in dozens with colorful and elaborately-designed fresh flower decks. Accompanied by a marching band, the tour starts from Upper Session Road and ends at the Melvin Jones Grandstand.



The Grand Street Dance Parade

A Philippine festival is not complete without the merriment on the street. That said, Panagbenga’s grand parade includes street dancing with competing groups. Festival-goers can witness this event as it starts in Panagbenga Park, follow it to Harrison Road, and finish off at the Baguio Atheltic Bowl.

Other Activities In The Panagbenga Festival

Aside from the float parades and street dance competitions, the Panagbenga Festival includes many more activities that gather crowds throughout the month. One of these is the Session Road in Bloom, which is a display of Baguio’s most beautiful flowers along the main shopping street.

Also part of Panagbenga is a drum and lyre competition, a professional landscaping competition, a horticultural exhibition, and other cultural performances. In addition, there are also bazaars from where visitors can buy Baguio’s trademark products, food, and handicrafts. All in all, these events showcase the city’s rich cultural heritage and celebrate the beauty of the surrounding natural resources.

To see the latest events and schedule of activities, go to Panagbenga Festival Schedule.


ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN BAGUIO 

Klook.com

Panagbenga Traffic Advisory

For the guidance of our visiting guests and motorists, please note the following re-routing schemes courtesy of our Baguio City Police Office. 

The following roads will be closed for the Panagbenga Grand Opening Parade, Grand Street Dance Parade and Float Parade.

PARADE ROUTE:
  • From Panagbenga Park, whole stretch of session rd; going down Center Mall Magsaysay to Harrison Road Jose Abadsantos Lake; Drive End- Athletic Bowl.

Also closed fm 5:00AM – Until the activity is over are the following:
  • Teachers Camp-South drive junction to Panagbenga Park. To be used/utilized by the participants of the opening, street dancing & float parade.
  • Fr Carlu loop/street – U-turn at Cathedral (post office loop – two-way traffic going to Leonarwood Rd and going down Gen. Luna – Bonifacio area)
  • Govpack Rd going to Session Rd. – U-turn at Govpack allowed (at the designated u-turn slot)
  • Calderon St going to Session Rd
  • Session Mabini is open to traffic. However, during the parade, upper Mabini will be closed. All vehicles coming from assumption Gen.Luna may take Gen. Luna Magsaysay Rd or upper Gen. Luna Rd.
  • Going down Abanao -juction of lower Shagem –Abanao Rd. All vehicles going down Abanao take lower Shagem St. Selected PUJs with loading area along Kayang may take going down Abanao then turn left at gas station to upper Shagem – Kayang area.

Also closed fm 5:00AM – Until the activity is over are the following:
  • Bayanihan Lake drive area – all vehicles not allowed to enter bayanihan going to km 0 or lake drive during the parade. Only PUJs allowed at Perfecto St. With limited number as agreed during the meeting of PUJs assn and BCPO-TEU
  • Lake drive – Jose Abad Santos St. No entry at the entrance of Kisad-Jose Abad Santos St going to Athletic Bowl or parking area.
  • Y shape or center mall area – no entry going to rice section/towards km-0 before and during the parade. All affected PUJs and private vehicles will take Bonifacio St.
  • All deliveries be done before 5:00am on feb 01, 2019 and march 02 & 03, 2019 to avoid being trap within the CBD area.
  • All vehicles who wish to leave the CBD area before the parade will start may do so but advise not to take the area of the parade route.

No Parking Areas During Panagbenga

Strictly no parking along the parade route from Panagbenga Park uppers – lower Session Rd. – Harrison Rd. Jose Abad Santos – Lake Drive.
 
STRICTLY NO PARKING ALONG THE FOLLOWING ROADS:
  • Whole stretch of Leonard wood Rd
  • Whole stretch of Gen. Luna Rd
  • Whole stretch of TM Kalaw 1 & 2 area including Government Center Rd
  • Whole stretch of Kisad Rd
  • Whole stretch of Legarda Rd
  • Harrison Rd
  • Abanao Rd including Abanao extension
  • Shanum St and Carino St
  • Salvoza drive and Bautista drive
  • Yandoc St – Legarda Rd
  • Naguilian Rd fm JCT Bokawkan to 3rd Rd Quezon hill
 

Recommended Parking Areas

All available pay parking areas:
  • Cooyesan pay parking
  • Ganza pay parking area
  • Old library pay parking area
  • Abanao Square
  • Baliwag Abanao pay parking
  • Maharlika pay parking area
  • Center mall pay parking area
  • Mabini Cedar Peak & Joem pay parking
  • SM pay parking
  • UB pay parking

All available school for pay parking areas:
  • Baguio City High School
  • Quezon Elem. School
  • Mabini Elem. School

Free parking area
  • GSIS Compound, DPS Brgy.


Reminders
  • All PUJ associations affected by the re-routing scheme should be on express system. PUV/Buses with Loading Terminals along/within the affected areas shall temporarily relocate and will be restricted from such streets starting @ 5:00AM until such roads/streets are declared clear.
  • The owners of barren spaces where parking is suitable should be encouraged and subsequently authorized to allow parking with pay for a reasonable amount provided that traffic flow will not be impeded.
  • Two-way traffic scheme will be implemented along Post Office Loop towards Leonard Wood Rd until its Junction with North Drive during the major parades.
  • Buses and Trucks will not be allowed passage after 5:00AM within the CBD and along Kisad Road, Legarda Road and other streets closely intersecting with the streets of CBD.
  • For the TTMD-City Engineering Office to ensure the service of the towing trucks and no unattended vehicle will obstruct the Parade Route or venue. All vehicles parked along the parade route beyond 6:00AM shall be towed.

Motorists are advised to take Tubao-Nangalisan Asin Road/ or Baoang Naguilian Road, expect heavy traffic at Marcos Highway due to volume of vehicles going to Baguio City for the celebration of Panagbenga Festival.

For those who are planning to book a stay for Panagbenga, I have a list of 10 Best Hotels to Book Near Burnham Park in Baguio.


ACTIVITIES AND TOURS IN MANILA


Baguio Flower Festival Foundation, Inc.

For basic inquiries on all Panagbenga events:
BCVB Building, Abad Santos Drive, Burnham Park, Baguio City, Philippines 2600 Telefax: (+63)(74) 442 4315
secretariat@panagbengaflowerfestival.com

For Sponsorship & Exhibitor, please email:
exhibits@panagbengaflowerfestival.com

For Baguio Blooms Exhibition & Exposition and Session Road in Bloom, please email:
exhibits@panagbengaflowerfestival.com


Where to go after attending Panagbenga? Check out my Baguio Travel Guide and my list of 25 Tourist Spots to Visit in Baguio City!


IMPORTANT NOTE: The rates, contact details and other information indicated in this post are accurate from the time of writing but may change without IMFWJ's notice. Should you know the updated information, please message us on Facebook.

WHERE TO STAY IN BAGUIO:


Baguio Festivals Philippines

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