BAGUIO CITY – The Christmas tradition lives on in the city via the Christmas in Baguio calendar of activities set to launch on Dec. 1.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan invited residents and tourists to take part in the activities to nurture the Christmas spirit in the city starting from the inaugurals.
Councilor Elmer Datuin, Christmas in Baguio action officer, said the launching will be another spectacle of lights and colors with the ceremonial lighting of the giant Christmas tree at the Rose Garden, Burnham Park and the crowd-drawing lantern parade by the St. Louis University.
Session Road will be closed to traffic the whole day to give way to the launching activities which will begin with the Silahis ng Pasko grand opening day extravaganza topbilled by the Children-Parents Christmas Mardigras at 8 a.m. showcasing day care pupils and parents garbed in Christmas costumes who will parade down Session Road.
At 3 p.m., the city will inaugurate the giant art installation by Tinatik artist Maela Liwanag Jose at the rotunda at Upper Session Road.
“Ms. Jose’s art installation will have reference to the culture and art not only of Baguio but the whole of the Cordillera. It will tell the story of creation starting from the sun, rain, mountains, plants, animals and man. It will embody the symbols of the Cordillera such as the bulul, the lizard and the tattoo patterns an line with the Christmas season, the installation will resemble a Christmas tree,” Jose’s press statement noted.
The city officials said this is a tribute to local artists instrumental in Baguio’s recently being named by the United National Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as one of the 64 cities from 44 countries as part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
Also at 3 p.m., an opening Christmas concert featuring local talents will be staged at Upper Session Road along with other activities including chalk art which is open to the public.
At 5:30 p.m., attention will shift to Rose Garden for the ceremonial lighting of the giant Christmas tree.
At 6 p.m., the much awaited lantern parade by the SLU will unravel starting at Upper Session Road down to the Baguio Athletic Bowl where the lantern parade participants will stage a field demonstration.
The launching will capped by a fireworks display.
Datuin said the city will also inaugurate the synchronized Lights and Sounds Show at the People’s Park on Nov. 29.
The lights and sounds show will feature a nightly spectacle of dancing lights at the park with a 20-minute interval that run for the whole duration of holiday season. /Aileen P. Refuerzo
