By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
The 2017 Strawberry Festival is said to be in its 36th year. That is counting of course the previous festivals when it was still plainly called La Trinidad town festival or fiesta. This year’s edition was launched last Feb 28, 2017.
During the last few years, the festival had steadily gained recognition from the public that even foreigners had been seen mingling with the crowd during the parade. The crowds could even swell this time as the municipality had sent invitations to most of its sister cities here and abroad to join the festivities.
According to Mr. Francis Lee, a three-term councilor and presently the executive assistant to mayor Romeo Salda, they have sent such invites to Makati City, Bauko and Sagada (Mtn. Province) Bambang (Nueva Vizcaya), Bucay (Abra), Guagua (Pampanga), Nueva Era (Ilocos Norte), Guagua (Pampanga), Luna (Apayao) as well as some other towns in Benguet. A sister city in Japan, Guam and Korea were also sent. The Guam contingent had already visited last week while that from Korea will arrive on the 17th March. It seems that the Festival is spreading far and wide. That calls for a better planning of activities for a better show.
Like Panagbenga, the Strawberry Festival has now its own theme song. It was composed by Mr. Denver Daniel, an elementary school teacher, the winner in a competition conducted last week. It will probably be heard in public for the first time during the street dancing, lyre and drum, and float competition and parade. It is something to look forward to.
Mr. Lee pointed out a change in the float parade. He said that floats will not be motorized, for environmental cosiderations. It will be up to the float owners (mostly La Trinidad barangays) to devise ways on how to make the floats roll. It will be another thing to see how this will be done, without making the parade too dragging or too slow.
It’s nice to know that there are community-led events where mostly private partners will serve as hosts or sponsors. This is a good start towards more participation of more business people in the future. A significant active participation of the private sector should make the festival more enjoyable, and its promotion more widespread with lesser expenses being shouldered by the La Trinidad LGU. Maybe, after a couple more years, the festival could be led by a private group, just like Panagbenga.
Last year, murals were done at the BSU fence (wall) where passersby can appreciate while walking or driving. This time, it was done at the La Trinidad Trading Post walls so, if you want to see them, have a little exercise because they are hidden some meters away from the highway. It was actually a competition. Just be careful about the coming and going of vegetable trucks or other vehicles. Don’t mind the many hurrying people who might bump you as you gaze at the artworks. Don’t complain that the murals are hidden as the competition was sponsored by the La Trinidad Trading Post MPC.
The community-led events include art, literary and musical events, sports events and others. Most of these activities are still to happen at various venues. Everyone, especially the younger ones might find it very attractive to watch a TNT-sponsored concert on March 20, 2017 to be headlined by Khalil Ramos and Edgar Allan Cruz, both upcoming ABS-CBN artists. It will be in the open air-at the municipal parking area. For the sports enthusiasts, most of the events such as arnis, dart, boxing, MMA will be done from March 24 to 26. A La Trinidad-wide strawberry marathon will cap sports events on April 2.
As I was going through the events, I was struck by the coffee summit. What is coffee doing in a “specialized” strawberry festival? Mr. Lee said that a local group wanted to push for the advancement of the coffee industry that is why the summit will be convened and another coffee festival sponsored by Henry and sons are inserted.
Like last year, there is again a Balikbayan Day. There are no special activities, just a time for balikbayans to congregate and renew acquaintances. I think this is one thing that should be enhanced. Give them some special attention in terms of how they could invest their money or how they could put up their own local businesses with incentives. This might attract other balikbayans from other areas to invest their hard-earned money in the town.
The strawberry festival is on the way to becoming more known and attractive. It may soon mature into its own unique identity. Mayor Salda is confident that more improvements will come in the succeeding years to make local residents proud of their own, and tourists more satisfied.
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