BAGUIO CITY – Forty-four colorful floats participated in the grand flower float parade at the Panagbenga Festival here with the theme “Blossoms Beyond Boundaries” on Sunday, Feb. 23.
A FLOAT representing a popular fast food restaurant participates in the grand flower float parade at the 29th Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City on Sunday, Feb. 23. (Zaldy Comanda)
Spectators lined up as early as 4 a.m. on Session and Harrison Roads to get a closer look at these floats with celebrities and beauty queens on board.
Participating floats in the small, medium, and large emphasized this year’s theme that will be the basis of winning entries.
The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. said there are more participants this year with 44 compared to 33 in 2024.
There are 11 in the small float, 10 in the medium, and 14 in the large categories.
Also participating but not competing in the parade were the city government, Department of Tourism, Hall of Fame Baguio Country Club, SM Prime Holdings Inc., Paragon Hotel and Suites, and Ilocos Norte floats.
Competing in the small float category this year are the Baguio-Benguet Bonsai Club and Panagbenga Landscapes, Baguio Camella Big Brother Inn, Jack’s Baguio Restaurant Inc., Kyoto Printing Services, Panagbenga Landscaping Association, Panagbenga Landscaping Association (second entry), Radiowealth Enterprises Inc., Techsphere Enterprises Inc., Wilcon Depot, Wood, Rock and Flower Group, and Zaparita’s Garden.
In the medium category are Chowking, Commission on Elections, Mang Inasal, Palawan Pawnshop, Philippine Retirement Authority, The Riles Ventures Inc., Unilever Philippines Inc.-Sunsilk, Vendors Group, You Glow Babe Skin Care Products Trading, and Zaparita’s Garden.
In the large category are Activations Advertising Inc.-Uniliver Philippines Surf, Converge ICT, Golden Arches Development Corp., Igorot Stone Kingdom, International Pharmaceutical Authority Inc., John Hay Management Corp. (JHMC), Jollibee Foods Corp., KFC, Narvacan Naisangsangayan, Pangasinan Solid North Transit Inc., Pepsi Cola, Republic Gas Corp., SCD-Eevor Skincare Depot, and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
The float parade is considered a crowd-drawing event in the Panagbenga Festival since 1995.