‘Festivals of the North’ reinforces Dagupan’s tag
“MELTING POT OF THE NORTH”
DAGUPAN City derives its name from the Pangasinan word Pandaragupan, which means melting pot.
The city has reinforced that status with the introduction of the ‘Festivals of the North’ street dancing competition in 2007 as part of the annual Bangus Festival, according Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez who has chaired the celebration in the last three years.
The ‘Festivals of the North’ has been participated in by the best among the best festival street dancers not only from provinces in Northern Luzon but also from some towns in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Benguet, Baguio and Abra.
The re-elected vice mayor also said that the popularity of both the Bangus Festival and Dagupan bangus has increased tremendously among Filipino communities overseas over the last 3 years owing to the new features added to the festival.
The Yaman ng Norte, a trade exhibit featuring products from the Luzon provinces, is now a regular feature of the Bangus Festival, like the ‘Festivals of the North’.
Speaking before city government employees in their weekly Monday flag-raising ceremony, Fernandez said she and outgoing Mayor Alipio Fernandez continue to receive congratulatory messages from many Filipinos overseas.
At the same time, the festival’s ‘Bangusan Street Party’, which attracts 700,000 to one million people yearly, has been acclaimed the biggest street party in the country by the Department of Tourism.
The Dagupan Bangus Festival was started in 2002 during the term of then Mayor Benjamin Lim who is returning to the post after emerging victorious in his comeback bid in the last election.
Dagupan City earned the world’s longest barbecue grill record in the Guinness Book of World Record during the 2002 Bangus Festival.
Lim said during the campaign that if he wins, he intends to again spearhead the preparations for the Bangus Festival in 2011.—LM
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