Now on its 9th staging, the municipality of Sablan, Benguet will celebrate the fruit festival on Aug. 7 to Sept. 4 with various activities.
This year’s celebration themed “Fruits of harmony: Celebrating nature’s symphony” will open with an agri trade fair along the Quirino Highway from Aug. 7 to 30, where revelers can buy products from local traders, cooperatives, and farmers.
On Aug. 7 will be the thanksgiving mass and opening program at the municipal gymnasium in Poblacion with the canvas painting to follow at 1 p.m. in the same area. A two-day farm tour is also slated on Aug. 12 and 18.
The car and motorcycle show will be on Aug. 9 at Poblacion.
The organizational formation of Calamay Farmers is set on Aug. 14 to 15 in Barangay Bayabas while on Aug. 16 will be the Sablan’s finest cuts: Video editing showdown and on Aug. 18 will be the mass wedding, all happening at the municipal gym.
The poster making contest will be on Aug. 18 at the Balat Hall in Poblacion.
Residents are encouraged to get their pets spayed and neutered on Aug. 23 while the integrated diversified farming system competition is set on Aug. 25.
The heaviest fruits competition is set on Aug. 28 while medical mission and bloodletting activity will be on Aug. 30, also set at the municipal gym.
The festival’s highlight is the float parade from the Weigh-bridge, Yagyagan, Banangan to the municipal gymnasium on Sept. 2, followed by the fruit medley where attendees will be treated with a smorgasbord of fruits from the bounty of Sablan at the municipal gym.
Also happening on Sept. 2 is the inter barangay agri-booth trade fair and competition set until Sept. 4 with free haircut and the acoustic competition and battle of the bands at the municipal gym.
The indigenous fruit art packaging and the local fruit-based juice drink/fruit shake contest is set on Sept. 1 at the municipal gym and on Sept. 3 is the farmer’s congress and micro, small, medium enterprises and cacao demonstration. Festival goers will also get to witness the street dancing and ground demo on Sept. 4 from the SLSS ground to the municipal gym where the awarding of the various competitions and closing program are set. – Ofelia C. Empian
