THE Bangus Festival, already established as a permanent summer spectacle in Dagupan, will go regional this year, according to Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, chair of 2008 festival executive committee.

“Unlike in the past when the festival was confined only in Dagupan and Pangasinan, it will become an affair to remember for the entire region,” said Fernandez.

In this year’s festival, slated from April 16 to May 1, the city will invite people from other parts of the region to attend the annual celebration that showcases the city’s premier product.

Fernandez is set to leave for the United States soon on an official mission to invite overseas Dagupeños as balikbayans will also be among the major target visitors.

Bangus Festival will hold a grand opening on April 16 featuring the “Gilon, Gilon”, a depiction of Pangasinan’s traditional method of harvesting bangus from the pond.

Other highlights include the “Festival of Festivals” on April 30 where another “Gilon-Gilon” and a street dancing competition will be held. Winners of street dancing competitions from different towns and cities in Pangasinan and other provinces will compete for the P250,000 grand prize.

Fernandez said in this festival both dancers and choreographers will receive prizes.

The grilling of bangus in the street, a permanent fixture in the festival, will again be held without the Guinness record in the way.

A bangus rodeo will also be held, chaired by Councilor Lino Fernandez, a bangus magnate of Dagupan himself.

This year’s Bangus Festival, said Fernandez, also promises to be star-studded as they intend to invite popular movie and television personalities, including well-known pop singers from Manila.

The city is already negotiating for the coming of popular rock bands from Metro Manila like “Parokya ni Edgar”, “Bamboo”, “Kamikazi” and others while television giant ABS-CBN will bring to the city its musicale “ASAP” live.

The holding of a national bowling competition in Dagupan during the Bangus Festival to be played at the CSI Bowling Center in Lucao is being negotiated by the executive committee.

Regional taekwondo and badminton tournaments and a “Battle of the Bands” are also being worked out.

The “Bikini Open” will be held on May 1 at Tondaligan Park in line with the “Pista’y Dayat” celebration.

Mayor Alipio Fernandez  Jr., however, has directed the committee to give Dagupan businessmen the  priority to sell at the festival’s day fair and limit the participation in the “101 Ways to Cook Bangus” cookfest to city residents—LM

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