Baguio City: Panagbenga Festival 2017 Official Schedule of Activities

Panagbenga Festival 2017

Are you planning to visit Baguio City for Panagbenga Festival 2017? The official Panagbenga 2017 Calendar of Activities was already released by Baguio Flower Festival Foundation and we have listed it in this post to guide you on your travel plans. Now on its 22nd year, this years theme is “Inspired By Beauty, Nurtured By Nature”.

Panagbenga Festival is considered as one of the most attended festival in the Philippines and one with the largest media coverage. The highlights of the yearly flower festival are the Street Dance Parade and Float Parade that showcases multicoloured floats made entirely from flowers of every kind. The word Panagbenga is a Kankanaey term which means “Seasons of blooming ” or “a time for flowering”.

Panagbenga Festival 2017 Official Schedule of Activities

Date	Panagbenga 2017 Activities	Events Venue / Parade Route
February 1	Panagbenga 2017 Opening Day	Panagbenga Park, Session Road, Magsaysay Ave, Harrison Road, Melvin Jones Grandstand
February 1 – March 5	Baguio Blooms Exposition and Exhibition	Juan Luna and Lake Drive
February 12	Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilya Baguio	Melvin Jones Grandstand and Football Grounds
February 15	School Based Competitions	City-wide
February 17-19	PMA Alumni Homecoming Weekend	Philippine Military Academy
February 17	Flower Tree Open Gold Tournament	Baguio Country Club
February 25-26	Exhibitors Day	Ganza Parking Area (former Jadewell)
February 25	Panagbenga Festival 2017 Grand Street Parade	Panagbenga Park>Session Road>Magsaysay Ave>Maharlika>Harrison Road>Melvin Jones Football Grounds
February 26	Panagbenga 2017 GRAND FLOAT PARADE	DILG>Session Road>Maharlika>Harrison Road>Melvin Jones Grandstand
February 26-March 5	Session Road In Bloom	Session Road
March 4	Pony Boys Day	Wright Park
March 5	Closing Ceremonies and Awarding	Melvin Jones Grandstand and Football Grounds
	Grand Fireworks Display	City-wide

Activities and Things to do in Baguio City during Panagbenga Festival

Baguio has so much to offer to tourists. Visitors can visit religious sites, heritage sites, military camps, Spooky Places, Do Ukay-Ukay Shopping all day and even midnight, go on a food trip, pasalubong shopping and so much more.

Here are some of the recommended things to do and see in the Philippines Summer Capital:

• Visit Camp John Hay – the former R&R facility for American military personnel during the American occupation. Now under the auspices of the Bases Conversion & Development Authority (BCDA), Camp John Hay is now a sort of country club complete with an 18-hole golf course, horseback riding, camping and many more.
• Walk along Session Road – the best place to look for restaurants, specialty shops, coffee shops and bars.
• Mines View Park – enjoy the view of the beautiful mountain scenery
• Philippine Military Academy – Checkout the schedule for Cadet Parade
• Burnham Park – go for a walk, eat street food, buy pasalubong or go rowing on the small lake.
• La Trinidad Strawberry Fields – Go to Magsasay Avenue to find the Jeepney terminal to La Trinidad Benguet to experience Strawberry Picking.
• Baguio Teachers Camp
• Explore Tam-awan Village
• Bell Church of Baguio City
• Japanese Tunnel Walk at Baguio’s Botanical Garden
• Laperal Ancestral Home: Famous Haunted House in Baguio City
• Also check out Baguio City Itinerary

Places to Stay in Baguio City during Panagbenga Festival

It is recommended to do an advance hotel booking to avoid much hassle. If you prefer budget accommodations, transient houses and lodging houses are also available city-wide. Checkout these links for recommended hotels in Baguio City:

• Casa Vallejo
• Hotel Review: Azalea Hotels and Residences Baguio City
• Top 10 Affordable Places to Stay in Baguio City
• Top 10 Places to Stay In Baguio City
• A list of Baguio transient houses

Recommended Places to Eat in Baguio City

Baguio is one of my favorite Foodie Destination in the Philippines. From Turo-Turo (hawkers), Buffet to fine dining, Baguio has a lot of restaurants offering local and international cuisine. To enjoy food tripping in Baguio during the flower festival season, here are some of our recommended restaurants:

• Forest House Bistro & Cafe, Great food, great music, great service. Located at 16 Loakan Road, near Nevada Square. Must-Try: Bagnet.
• Café by the Ruins, 23 Chuntug St., Baguio City, ? +63 74 4424010. Quaint ambience, hearty salads, pastas and juices and good coffee or tea to top it off. Also Read: Keeping the History Alive at Café By the Ruins, Baguio City
• Choco-Late de Batirol in Baguio City: A Sweet Memory that Satisfies the Soul
• List of Coffee Shops with free WiFi in Baguio City
• Top 10 Affordable Places to Eat in Baguio City
• Foodgasmic Baguio: 10 Restaurants You Should Not Miss While in The Summer Capital
• 5 Best Buffet Restaurants in Baguio City

Panagbenga Travel Tips

• Book your Bus Tickets ahead
• Try to make the trip at night as there will be less cars and pedestrians on the street that may cause traffic
• Book your Hotels in Advance
• Bring comfortable walking shoes
• Always bring an umbrella and a rain coat / hoodie jacket.
• Secure your important belongings when in crowded places
• Arrive early in Session Road to secure your spot if you are planning to watch the Grand Street Parade (February 25) and Grand Float Parade (February 26)
• Bring wide array of wardrobe as the temperature varies from extremely hot (noon-time) to extremely cold (night-time).
• It is advised to walk when visiting tourist destinations in the town center because they are actually close to each other and it will save you money.

How to Get to Baguio City

By Bus from Manila: Air-conditioned bus trips to Baguio leave Manila, Pasay and Quezon City terminals daily in an hourly basis. Popular bus lines offering Baguio route are Victory Liner, Partas, and Genesis among others. One way bus ticket would cost you P450, and travel time will be approximately 6-7 hours (or longer) during Panagbenga Season.

Via private vehicle:

While it takes at average 4-6 hr to get to Baguio City by car, it takes much longer during holiday long weekends, Holy Week, Panagbenga Season etc.

• Drive through NLEX.
• Take Exit 85 right into SCTEX.
• Transfer to the right lane and drive to Baguio via Tarlac.
• Take the Tarlac exit and follow the road signs that will take you to MacArthur Highway.
• Once you’re on MacArthur Highway, drive straight to Tarlac and Pangasinan until you reach Rosario, La Union.
• From the Rosario junction, you can turn right into famous Kennon Road. This is the most popular and scenic route up Baguio City.
• If you prefer the wider lanes of Marcos Highway, drive further into Rosario and turn right towards the new entrance.

[Note: TPLEX is now open; you can take it from SCTEX to avoid much of McArthur Highway]

Heres a complete guide on how to get to Baguio – > Travel Guide: How to Get to Baguio from Metro Manila

Important Telephone Numbers for Tourists:

Tourist Information and Assistance Center
Baguio City Tourism Office
(63-74) 442 6708
Baguio Tourism Council
(63-74) 443-3434

Hospitals: Baguio General Hospital
(63-74) 442-4216
SLU Sacred Heart Hospital
(63-74) 442-2790

Baguio Police Department Tactical Operations Center
(63-74) 442-1211 / 304-6997 / 442-4119 or hotline 166
Highway Patrol Group
(63-74) 445-0434