BANGUS FESTIVAL 2017 OPENS ON APRIL 2

DAGUPAN CITY - New and exciting events await revelers of the Bangus Festival 2017 when it opens on April 2 with the holding of a “Fun, Fun, Fun ed Tondaligan”.

However, prior  to the grand opening,   the Bangusan Village will be first opened on March 31 at the New De Venecia Extension Highway that  will host a carnival and a baratillo, along with a food court,   lasting up  till June 30 for people of Dagupan and their visitors to enjoy.

The Bangusan Village is also extended till June 30 in time for the celebration of Dagupan City's Platinum Year on June 20 commemorating its 75^th year as an independent component city.

The activities during the grand opening day will be held at the Tondaligan Blue Beach where people can enjoy watching the sand sculpture contest, kite flying, “Galaw na Ogogaw” and “Sayawan ed Tondaligan”. 

The opening program will start at 7:00 in the morning.

On April 7-9, the Beach Volleyball Republic will be back to conduct volleyball clinic and facilitate the holding of a local tournament where people will have the chance to watch their favorite beach volleyball players again by the flesh in the Beach Volleyball Finals.Local skateboard fanatic will compete with each other again in the 4^th Wave Skateboarding Competition dubbed as "Skate the Tides" set on April 8 at the Dagupan City Plaza while slalom enthusiasts will have a chance to watch their favorite players play the game at the CSI Helipad on April 9 in the 2017 Slalom Event.

Part of the festival celebration would be a chance to give employment to jobseekers in a job fair on April 20 starting at 9:00 a.m. at the CSI Atrium. 

April 21 would be the day slated for the Gilon-Gilon ed Baley which will take place along the downtown loop that will end at the city plaza where the street dancers will perform more of their prepared skits. The winner will then represent the city in the Festivals of the North, an all star street dancing competition on April 28.

After the Gilon-Gilon ed Baley, the Bangus Rodeo, a bangus beauty pageant and games will be held the next day at the city plaza.

On April 22 to 23, there will be the Philswim at the Dagupan City poolside. In the evening of April 22, the UP North Music and Arts Festival will be held at the CSI Helipad.

At 5:00 in the early morning of April 23, the Bangus Festival Fun Run at the New De Venecia Extension Highway will be held, to be followed by an open golf tournament at the Dagupan Golf and Beach Club in Bonuan and the Mistisang Bangus Gay Beauty Pageant at the Dagupan City Plaza starting at 6:00 p.m.

The different ways to cook bangus called the Bangusine, a Bangus Culinary Showcase, will be held on April 25 at the city plaza from 4:00 in the afternoon.

On April 26 at 5:00 p.m., hip-hop dancers will compete against each other in the Dance Philippines Hip-hop Battle at the city plaza.   

The Bangusan Street Party at the New De Venecia Extension Highway will be held on April 30 while on May 1, on the occasion of the Pistay Dayat, there will be Beach Bodies Party at Tondaligan Blue Beach.

Well-known bands like Sponge Cola, Itchyworms, Rocksteddy, Silent Sanctuary, SUD, Jensen and the Flips, Lunarlights, Brisom, Up Dharma Down, Giniling Festival and more will perform during the Bangusan Street Party. (Joseph C. Bacani/CIO/March 9, 2017)