Panagbenga 2024 culminates with a bang

BAGUIO CITY — Organizers of the Baguio Flower Festival or the famous “Panagbenga,” together with the local government of Baguio, marked the end of the more than a month-long festival with the traditional display of colorful fireworks display positioned in the different parts of the central business district.

 Officials of the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. and the local government of Baguio led the cheerful closing ceremony of Panagbenga 2024 at the Melvin Jones Grandstand on Sunday afternoon.

 The BFFFI — together with Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong — also awarded those who helped in making the festivities successful by sacrificing and volunteering their time and knowledge.

 As a treat to the thousands of spectators during the closing ceremony and hours before the Celestial Blossoms: “Grand Aerial Fireworks Display,” snappy cadets of the Philippine Military Academy draw cheers and amazement from the audience as they show their skills in their silent drill exhibition at the Melvin Jones Football Ground.The firewalls display and the PMA silent drill are two of the many traditional activities of the Panagbenga.

 Closing ceremonies also marked the folding of the tents used during the successful “Session Road in Bloom” where hundreds of enterprises both big and small offered delicacies of all kind and also arts and crafts showing the creativity of the local people where Baguio City is known for and also the quality products of different municipalities, cities and provinces from different parts of the country that added colors to the “Panagbenga.”

 Different attractions, introduction of new components to the festival, traditional activities and community efforts as well as the lively participation not only of the Baguio people but also the people from all parts of the country put into realization the theme of this year’s festival which is “Celebrating Traditions, Embracing Innovations.”