Baguio City

Panagbenga Festival

Flowers, Dance, and the Heart of Baguio

PUBLISHED April 22, 2017

PHOTOS | WORDS BY MARIANO SAYNO

The streets of Baguio City come alive with colors, rhythm, and floral artistry every February during the Panagbenga Festival. Amid the waving crowds, choreographed street dances, and intricate floral floats, you can feel both the resilience and creativity of the Cordilleran people. Each corner offers a new perspective—children cheering on dancers, elders admiring the blooms, and photographers capturing fleeting moments of vibrant life. Panagbenga is more than a festival; it’s a celebration of community, artistry, and the natural beauty that defines the city.

Explore the Philippines through my lens as we venture into Panagbenga Festival with Point of View (POV) photography. Using a body cam, I’ll guide you on an interactive tour, revealing the behind-the-scenes of capturing the shots shared here. Let’s dive into this visual journey together and uncover the wonders through my lens!

Let’s explore the PHILIPPINES through my lens as we journey on a photo slideshow to Panagbenga Festival. Join me in this visual adventure and discover the wonders captured through my lens! Check out the shared slideshow here.

The Panagbenga Festival, known as the Baguio Flower Festival, is an annual cultural event in Baguio City, Philippines, held each February to celebrate the region’s flowers and the city’s resilience after the 1990 Luzon earthquake. Its name comes from the Kankanaey word “Panagbenga,” meaning “season of blooming,” reflecting the Cordillera region’s natural beauty and the enduring spirit of its people. Since its beginning in 1995, Panagbenga has grown from a local floral parade to a festival attracting thousands of local and international visitors, becoming a symbol of both artistic expression and tourism prominence.

Check out the video for more highlights. See what I’ve captured through my lens with Point of View (POV) photography. Using a body cam, I’ll take you on an interactive tour, showing you behind-the-scenes moments of capturing the shots shared here.

Check out the video below for additional features. Explore what I’ve captured through my lens in this cinematic slideshow.

Theme and Focus

Each edition of Panagbenga carries a thematic focus celebrating nature, creativity, and community. For instance, past themes emphasized environmental stewardship and Baguio’s identity as the “Summer Capital of the Philippines.” The festival’s week-long activities showcase the city’s rich floral artistry while engaging schools, local government units, civic groups, and the broader community in cultural and ecological appreciation.

Street Dancing and Grand Float Parade

The Grand Street Dancing Parade is one of Panagbenga’s most anticipated events, featuring coordinated performances by schools and open-category groups along major streets like Session Road, Magsaysay Avenue, and Harrison Road. Dancers incorporate Cordilleran motifs, traditional Bendian dances, and flower-inspired choreography, offering spectators an immersive display of Philippine cultural heritage.

The Grand Float Parade follows closely, where corporate and community entries present floats adorned entirely with fresh flowers, each judged on creativity, floral design, structural ingenuity, and thematic representation. The spectacle of moving gardens in motion paints Baguio in vibrant colors, delighting visitors and photographers alike.

Cultural Impact and National Recognition

Panagbenga’s reach extends beyond Baguio. The festival has participated in Aliwan Fiesta, the national festival showcase in Pasay City, where it has earned accolades such as Best Folkloric Performance and strong placements in street dance competitions. These achievements underscore Panagbenga’s role in elevating Filipino festival culture nationally while celebrating the unique artistic and floral traditions of the Cordilleras.

Tourism and Community Experience

Beyond the parades, Panagbenga offers a full festival experience: flower exhibitions along Lake Drive and Juan Luna Drive, school competitions, themed side events, and cultural shows. The festival draws a diverse mix of local and international tourists, from casual spectators to cultural enthusiasts, and has become a key highlight in Baguio’s tourism calendar, supporting local businesses, hotels, and restaurants.

Walking through the festival, you notice the city transformed into a living gallery—streets lined with blooms, performers in elaborate costumes, and communities celebrating in unison. It’s a photographer’s dream, capturing not just flowers and floats, but the lively spirit, devotion, and pride of Baguio’s people, woven seamlessly into every performance and display.

Kasiyana “All Will Be Well” Art Exhibit: Baguio’s Canvas of Hope and Inspiration

The Kasiyana “All Will Be Well” Art Exhibit at Gallery 2600 in Baguio brings together more than 20 local artists whose works reflect the Kankanaey

Theme and Focus

Street Dancing and Grand Float Parade

Cultural Impact and National Recognition

Tourism and Community Experience

LOCATIONS PROVINCES

ARCHITECTURE HERITAGE

CHURCHES FAITH

NATURAL & MAN-MADE ATTRACTIONS

FESTIVALS & EVENTS

LOCATIONS
PROVINCES

ARCHITECTURE
HERITAGE

CHURCHES
FAITH

NATURAL & MAN-MADE
ATTRACTIONS

FESTIVALS &
EVENTS