Baguio's 'Horror Festival' changed to 'Fantasy Festival'

BAGUIO CITY— No more zombies, mummies and Dracula, instead, people will soon see so-called local and international "nice" folkloric heroes and other Filipino mythical creatures as  the planned Baguio Horror Festival set for October will transform into the Baguio Fantasy Festival.

This comes after the organizers of the proposed Baguio Horror Festival have agreed during the City Council inquiry to revise their event plan following public and online debate, especially by religious people.

Main organizer Carl Paolo Corpuz confirmed that the public Halloween parade will be canceled and replaced by a fantasy-themed procession featuring characters from Philippine folklore, global mythology, and international film genres. As part of the overhaul, organizers officially abandoned the slogan framing Baguio as a horror capital.

Corpuz clarified that the term was intended as literary marketing rather than a formal policy request, noting that previous criticisms stemmed from the phrase being taken out of context. Under the updated proposal, horror-themed activities will be restricted to a private convention tailored specifically for genre enthusiasts.

The Baguio City Council is currently reviewing the revised plan. The proposal has been referred to the appropriate council committee, which will draft a report and issue formal recommendations before the scheduled October timeline.

City Council members have been asked to submit their position papers to the committee chairperson, while organizers must present a finalized working plan and detailed operational guidelines for review. Discussions during upcoming regular sessions are expected to address both this specific festival and broader regulations for public events across the city.