MABALACAT CITY -- Thousands of tourists and spectators watched the Caragan Festival that highlighted the street dancing participated in by 49 public and private elementary and secondary schools in the city last Friday.
City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo said this year’s festival is the biggest so far with more than 30,000 participants and visitors.
During the free dance interpretation Thursday night, more than 25,000 trooped to the Xevera Plaza where school kids performed and interpreted the native Aeta dance.
Garbo said that the festival, dubbed “Malasakit King Milabas Para King Maunlad A Bukas” (Love for the Past: Path For a Better Future) Mabalaquenos celebrate the city’s rich culture.
The annual festival is in honor of Caragan, an Aeta chieftain that founded Mabalacat named after Balacat trees, which are endemic in the city.
Garbo, together with city general service office (GSO) head June Magbalot, Legal Officer Emmanuel Ignacio, Administrator Rosano Paquia, Tourism Arwin Lingat, Information Officer Michelle Ong and other officials joined Central Luzon’s grandest festival as performers wearing head dresses and colorful costumes wowed the crowd.
Judges for the dance contest include dance guru Doglas Nierras, hair stylist James Cooper, and others.
The Mabalacat National High School emerged as the Caragan Festival 2018 overall champion and hall of famer.
