LA TRINIDAD – The 35th Strawberry Festival of the municipality of La Trinidad will have its highlights on March 18 and 19, with colorful parades.
A civic parade will be held on Friday (March 18) while the street dancing parade and competitions, mini-float parade and drum and lyre contests will be on Saturday.
The parades will kick off at around 8AM at the Km. 3-City limit area at the Bell Church. Delegates will parade along the highway to the municipal gymnasium in Km. 5 where the main program will be held.
Department of Tourism Regional Director Venus Quinto Tan will be the guest of honor and speaker during the main program on March 18.
Mayor Edna Tabard has issued Executive Order 03-2016 declaring the March 18, 2016 as a special non-working holiday in the municipality of La Trinidad in observance of the Strawberry Festival.
The holiday is to give full opportunity to the people of La Trinidad to celebrate the Strawberry Festival which aims to promote the municipality as the ‘Strawberry Capital of the Philippines’ and to boost the tourism of the municipality.
The town is the Guinness Book of Records holder of the largest strawberry shortcake which weighed 9,622.23 kilograms made by various bakers in March 2004.
With a vision towards strengthening tourist branding, empowering the educational aspect of tourism featuring the wonders of the town, and exploring the potential of international trade and investment, Strawberry Festival 2016 adopts the theme, “A More Colorful Agro-Eco Tourism.”
The public is advised that the Halsema Highway from the Bell Church to the Km. 5 municipal grounds, will be partially closed on March 18 from 6:45 AM to 11AM and March 19 from 6:45AM to 12 noon to pave the way for the parades.
Motorists are advised to take the alternate routes going in and out of Benguet or Baguio City. Motorist bound for Baguio City coming from Northern Benguet may take the Shilan-Beckel-Lamut-Baguio Road, the Shilan-Tawang-Ambiong-Baguio Road, and the Longlong-Tam-awan-Baguio Road while motorists bound for Northern Benguet from Baguio City may take the Baguio-Bontoc Road (National Road – One Lane), the Baguio- Ambiong-Tawang-Shilan Road, the Baguio-Beckel-Shilan Road and the Baguio-Tam-awan – Puguis Road./JDP/RMC/ L. Galagala & L. Alimondo- PIA-CAR/SLU interns
