Panagbenga 2011 Part 3: Sights and Highlights of the Parade

The Panagbenga Grand Parade, both the Streetdance Parade and the Float Parade were truly wonderful sights to see. I commend the organizers of the Festival to have convened a large group of talented young people to showcase their talent to the throngs of spectators during the two day parade. The news had it that these were the highest recorded visitors Baguio City ever had, especially during the second day. My camera was really very busy clicking away at all the interesting details and performances. But alas! it was really impossible to contain all that i have winessed in Panagbenga. I hope next year would be grander and equally exhilirating! Here are some of my favorite attractions which i didnt cover from my past two posts.

One of the much awaited parade attractions are the bugle and drum bands. I was surprised to see this young boy in the band. Does he really play the bugle?

All the bands that accompanied the floats were all dressed up for the occassion, were all attractions in their own right, and all had beautiful ladies to lead them! pretty pretty majorettes!

Pretty girl who played the flute and wore flower headresses.

Aside from the young showbiz attractions perched on the floats, they also house (?) young pretty lasses, truly Bagiuo's best. 

One of the most captivating performances in the Float Parade were those rendered by this group of beautiful ladies dressed like princesses...or are they butterflies? The group was sponsored by Bagiuo Metamorphosis.

They executed a dance which enthralled the crowd. It looked like a courtyard dance to me. But maybe it depicted butterflies in flight, playing among the flowers.

And what was more wonderful about this group, were not their Disney-like costumes, but the ladies themselves. They really looked like royalty, their pretty faces captivated the crowd....yup including me.

This blue fairy is my favorite. Such a pretty pretty face! I think i have 20 frames of her in my cam.

Different groups participated in this parade, as far as Cavite. They lightened up the crowd with their special dance numbers in between parade walks.

And they vary in ages too. Young girls in the band are truly remarkable.

This must be the youngest group in the parade.

The bands also varied in theme: ifugao, flower fairies, butterflies...this band looked like the character from The Nutcracker...many of them.

Hmmm.....i think this belonged to the float which featured the different cultures in the country, malay, muslim and ifugao. I think it was M. Lhuillier's float. Have i included the float in my previous post...oh! guess i didnt have a good shot. I think i focused on these pretty ladies.

Outstandingly elaborate! Ha! im running out of words to describe them.

These little girls were cute with their flowery umbrellas. And they were so small! still wondering if they have endured the whole parade walk...

Mascots and Puppets were also paraded together with the bands.  I remember there was also a rabbit walking...

This young girl was also my favorite. She danced like crazy! and alluring! she has beautiful eyes and a face like Alessandra da Rossi. Pretty!

This fairy rode with the big pink bunny. There were more of them perched on different parts of the float, almost inconspicuously.

This pretty ifugao girl rode in M. Lhuillier's float, together with the muslim girl up ahead.

Hmmm.....toy soldier? oh! but what a pretty one.

I think their ifugao attire did not really match their majorette boots. but what the heck, they're still pretty awesome.

Well, that was the end of my journey in Bagiuo City to witness the much-awaited Panagbenga. I hope next year i can still go up there and be part of the festival. I hope next year i can witness the Pony boys, the market encounter and other attractions.  Better plan ahead to be right on the spot. See you next journey!