After being set aside for two years due to the pandemic restrictions, festivities such as parade and cultural activities in Antipolo City for the city fiesta resume once again this year.
The city’s thoroughfares are expected to be filled with residents and tourists on Dec. 7, as the Antipolo City government leads the Christmas Fiesta 2022 Grand Parade.
The office of Mayor Casimiro “Junjun” Ynares, III announced that city government personnel and officials including barangay heads and workers, schools, and business establishments are joining the grand parade with the theme “Antipolo Christmas Fiesta- Tayo Na’t Mag Pasko Sa Antipolo”.
Mar Bacani, head of the Antipolo City Cultural Arts and Tourism Promotions Office, told Manila Bulletin that at least six marching bands were tapped to perform during the parade aside from several drum and lyre bands of various schools in the city.
The parade started at the Ynares Center grounds at 6 a.m. and ended at Sumulong Park fronting the Antipolo City Hall.
Traditionally, each group of participants has its own uniform costumes and skits as they parade on the streets at the city proper.
Although there is no competition among the drum and lyre bands of participating public and private schools, each group are expected to do their own unique style of playing their instruments and their majorettes will also be performing their own skills of baton twirling as they dance on the streets at the city proper.
The city government has released a traffic advisory as the streets in the vicinity of the Antipolo Cathedral are expected to be closed while the parade is ongoing.
At 10 a.m., the six marching bands performed in an exhibition presentation at Sumulong Park.
The traditional “Serenata” or the live concert or the serenade by the brass bands will be witnessed at the International Shrine of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage at 7 p.m. also on Dec. 7, to pay homage to the “Virgin of Antipolo”.
The city observes its feast day coinciding with the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.