The City Government of Zamboanga are doing the preparations for the biggest festival in the city, Hermosa Festival or Fiesta Pilar. This year's celebration focuses on unity, harmony and friendship with the theme "Junto y Unido: Un Celebracion de Harmonia y Buen Amistad". To kick start the festival, there will be pre-fiesta parades at the two districts of Zamboanga. On October 26, Saturday, 8AM, District 1 will have a Bandoreal Parade Competition starting from Butterfly Garden to Sta. Maria School Covered Court. Bandoreal is a unique parade from the city which features marching bands, higantes, payasos (clowns), and comical characters that will surely bring fun out in the streets. The next day, Oct 27, Sunday, 8AM, District 2 will also have the Bandoreal parade from the UZIHK to Yubengco Tetuan.
October 1 will mark the opening of the Hermosa Festival. The Grand Opening Salvo will start with a parade of streetdancers and the winning Bandoreals from ZC District Fire Station to the City Hall Grounds. The Mayor will official open the program with the symbolic lighting of the Fiesta Emblem followed by energetic dance performances.
On October 2-9, the R.T. Lim Boulevard will be transformed into a food strip at night for the Zamboanga Smoke Out: The Grilled Food Fiesta! which will feature an array of grilled food such as barbecues and steaks. At the same venue, there will also be a cook-off of Zamboanga's best restaurants during La Cocina Zamboanga. Each night, one restaurant will show us how to cook Zamboanga's best dishes. Live bands and comedians will also provide the entertainment for the rest of the night.
Want to shop? Zamboanga's major bazaars will bring out their goodies at the streets for the Grand Midnight Sale. A regional trade expo called ZAMPEX will show the products of locals from the city and provinces of Zamboanga Peninsula. For vegetables, flowers, processed goods and other agricultural products, head to Plaza Pershing for the Cosechas de Zamboanga trade fair. For souvenirs and novelty items, go to Petit Barracks to trade with the travelling merchants.
Zamboanga's diverse culture and rich history will be on the spotlight too during the Hermosa Festival. Visit the Centro Latino for the Zamboanga Art Exhibit, Conference on Culture, Arts and History, and special events at night. On Oct 5, Una Noche de Canciones will feature songs rendered by the City Government Grand Chorale. On Oct 6, Una Noche de Bailes will feature the folkdances from the region. On Oct 7, the Mascota de Zamboanga Competition will feature the unique Zamboangueña Filipiñiana attire created by the talented local designers. On Oct 8, listen to the Original contemporary Chavacano songs and watch their music videos during the Original Chavacano Video Music Festival.
A Philippine festival will never be complete without the street dance. This year the Street Dance Competition will be back where it should be, at the streets! On October 10, 1PM, from Canelar Street the competing street dancers will fill the city with colors in the tune of festive beats up to Paseo del Mar where the Grand Showdown will happen.
Some of the events are innovated this year such as the Parade of Lights which is a Float Parade competition which used to be a Floral Parade Contest. The Parade of Lights will feature floats illuminated by lights like huge lanterns on October 9, Friday, from RT Lim Boulevard to Paseo del Mar which will be followed by a foam party at the Paseo del Mar Esplanade. Another street party dubbed as Danza La Vida will feature Dj's from Manila to give the Zamboangueños the best EDM party in town on October 10, Saturday, 8PM at the Butterfly Garden, Pasonanca.
On the eve of the fiesta, October 11, 8AM, watch the famous Regatta de Zamboanga, a race of colorful Vintas of the Badjaos at the R.T. Lim Boulevard. During the feast day, follow the Procession to Fort Pilar celebrate with the city's patron saint La Virgen del Pilar. The next day, there will be a Sardines Festival, a one-day event to celebrate the city as the Sardine Capital of the country. There will be lots of activities which will commence with WOW Sardinas!, a grand boodle fight of sardines at the Paseo del Mar, 5PM. Vamos a Zamboanga and let's enjoy this year's fiesta with friendship, unity and harmony! Here's the full calendar of activities for Zamboanga Hermosa Festival 2015!
For updates, like the official facebook page of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival. Like and share!