Buglasan Festival

Buglasan Festival parade and street performance.

Returning back to the Philippines after spending a week in Bali, we were able to catch the parade and fireworks display for the annual Buglasan Festival.   Each year, Dumaguete hosts this annual event bringing together the municipalities that make up Negros Oriental.  The province is the center of agriculture and one of the largest sugar cane growers in the Central Vasayas.  People travel from remote villages, from mountain and seashore, to represent their community.  Each municipality designs their costumes for a winning street dance competition.  Each town incorporates their distinct food or product that represents their community in colorful costume display.   Crowds line the streets to get a good view of these marching performers.  It's quite a show!

This year's winner for best street performance, Sandurot Festival of Dumaguete City.  Dancers with crabs on their backs and open hoop skirts, as crab pots, represents Dumaguete as a fishing port community.

Bright orange and green seahorses were seen bouncing down the streets.

Sea urchins, all in a line, proudly showing their spikes.

Glittery costumes, dance around in the afternoon golden light.

And what better way to end a three-day festival other than with a fireworks display?  Like the street performances, the fireworks shows competed for a grand prize.  An interesting way to get a line up of fireworks display, where the community benefits and the city doesn't have to pay.  For two nights, four separate displays lit the sky on Saturday and Sunday, marking the grand finale to the annual Buglasan Festival, over Dumaguete City's port.

The first batch of fireworks on Saturday night along the Boulevard.

Last batch of fireworks on Sunday night over the port.