What a spectacular event it was in Baguio City on Saturday, Feb. 25! The 2023 Panagbenga Festival Grand Street Dancing parade had everyone’s eyes glued to the street dancers as they mesmerized the early-bird crowd that lined up Session and Harrison Roads as early as 6:00 O’clock in the morning.
The Saint Louis University (SLU) street dancers bagged the top prize in the open category for the third time! SLU had also won this category in 2018 and 2019 before the festival had to take a break for three years because of the pandemic. Their performance this year was titled Man-Apit, which means harvest in Ibaloi. It showcased the story of the first settlers in Baguio City who relied solely on camote as their main source of food until they started farming.
The Saeng Ya Kasay Cultural Ensemble of the University of the Cordilleras was another crowd favorite, taking the top spot in the cultural category. The Baguio Central School also shone in the Elementary Drum and Lyre category, capturing the audience’s attention.
The grand street-dancing parade had a total of 32 participants who put on an incredible show. Tribu Rizal, Rizal National School of Arts and Trades, Rizal, Kalinga placed second in the festival category, while Uggayam Turayan Cultural Group, San Vicente, Baguio City, placed second in the cultural category. Labban di E-lagan Indigenous Peoples Organization, Laban, Sabangan, Mountain Province, took third place in the cultural category.
The elementary drum and lyre category had only four participants, with Tuba Central of Tuba, Benguet taking the second spot and Josefa Cariño Elementary School of Baguio City and Lucban Elementary School of Baguio City taking the third and fourth places, respectively.
Overall, it was a fantastic day for everyone who attended the grand street-dancing parade of the 2023 Panagbenga Festival. The performances were breathtaking, and the energy was contagious. It’s no wonder the crowd couldn’t stop talking about it long after the event was over!
If you missed this year’s Grand Street Dancing Parade or want to relive it again, you can watch it in full below. Also included below are the performances at the Melvin Jones Grandstand for each of the winners.
