This year’s Panaad sa Negros Festival is slated April 8–14, 2019 at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City with the theme, “Beyond a Promise… A Legacy”.
A Thanksgiving Mass will be held 8 a.m. at the Panaad Stadium at the opening day of the festival, which will be followed by the lechon parade, ribbon-cutting ceremonies and official opening of festival costumes exhibit, trade fair, eco-garden show, livestock and dairy fair, organic village, bamboo village, and food park, among others.
The opening ceremony will be held at 4 p.m., which will be followed by the Best of Festival Dances Competition; GMA Kapuso Fiesta that will feature Manila-based celebrities will also be held at the Panaad Stadium on the opening day.
The Drum and Lyre Competition (Elementary Level) will be held on the second day of the festival at 1 p.m. while the Binalaybay and Rondalla Competitions will also be held at the stadium, 5 p.m. on the same day.
The Philippine Folk Dance Competition will highlight the third day of the festival which will be held at the Panaad Stadium; a Choral Competition will be held at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central on the same day.
There will be a Panaad Ballroom Dance Festival Competition at the Panaad Stadium on the fourth day at 5p.m., and Buglas Taliambong, 6 p.m. at the Panaad Park Stage that will showcase Negrense talents in a cultural performance.
The Lin-ay sang Negros Pageant Night will be held 7 p.m. at the Panaad Stadium on April 12, the fifth day of the festival.
There will be a Pasidungog sa mga Mangunguma, Mangingisda kag Manugsagod sang Kasapatan at the Panaad Covered Court on April 13, Day 6; and Trabaho Patrol at City Mall Mandalagan.
The last day of festival include the closing ceremony with awarding and presentation of winners, to be followed by the Panaad Drumbeating Competition and fireworks display.
The annual event is participated in by Negros Occidental’s 13 cities and 19 towns including Bacolod City, showcasing the distinctive Negrense skills, talents and creativity in their own unique theme pavilions located at the Panaad Park.
The Panaad sa Negros Festival has established its name as Department of Tourism-Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines – DOT-ATOP’s “Best Tourism Event – Provincial Festival Category” in the country, when it was adjudged a “Hall of Fame” awardee in 2017, after bagging the national award for three consecutive years.* (PPIO via NDB)