Tips To Enjoy The Panagbenga Baguio Flower Festival

Panagbenga, meaning “season of blooming,” is an annual flower festival that is celebrated every February in Baguio City. This is brought to life by various sectors in the community such as the local government, schools, celebrities, businesses and other organizations. The 2 day weekend festival is the most awaited event in Baguio as it is an explosion of creativity, ingenuity and teamwork of everyone involved. So you can just imagine the thick crowd patiently waiting and rooting for the best dancers and floats.

To fully enjoy the Panagbenga festival, here are some tips from our experience:

1. Drink and eat 30 minutes before going to the parade. The street is packed and going/finding a restroom can be tricky and you just might not be able to move. Once you get off your seats, that’s it. No more going back)

2. Bring a jacket. You’re in Baguio – the weather can be freezing cold especially early morning.

3. Wear comfortable clothes/shoes. You’ll be waiting for more than 2 hours for sure so better come in your comfy clothes/shoes.

4. Reserve a seat on the east side (where the sun rises). Aside from protecting your eyes from the glaring sun, you can also view the parade without any obstructions from the island on the road.

5. Come early. I heard people were reserving their seats as early as 4-5am in the morning. It would also be nice if you could bring something to keep your bumbums warm while sitting on the curb.

6. Try to reserve a table at the veranda of Chowking in Session Road. THAT SPOT IS LIKE VIP viewing. Chairs, food, and accessible restroom.

7. Charge your batteries. It would be super fun to take lots of pictures so make sure you charge your batteries and bring an extra batt with you. Also, make sure you take extra care of your cellphone as pickpockets are everywhere waiting for the next victim.

8. Be courteous. Be mindful of other people’s enjoyment, too 🙂

9. DO NOT LITTER. Pick up after your own trash.

10. Reserve a room at the best hotel in Baguio – The Manor at Camp John Hay. The parade starts at 8am and ends at around 11am-12noon. You can just imagine the crowd eager to get out of the place and look for somewhere to eat. Getting a taxi cab would be one of the most challenging part of the experience. For a fee, I think you can arrange a shuttle pick-up from The Manor if you’re a hotel guest. Also, after a tiring day, don’t you just want to lie down on their comfortable beds and have lunch at Le Chef?

Below are some of the pictures at the Panagbenga Flower Festival 2014

“Dances and Smiles fill the City of Pines”