The year 2019 is the 14th year of Bacolod City’s celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Bacolaodiat Festival—happening on February 1 to 5.
The five-day celebration will kickstart with the Grand Motorcade—a motorcade participated in by Tsinoys, city officials, and students of Chinese schools using vehicles decorated for the Chinese New Year—at 4 p.m. The motorcade will end at the Bacolod Government Center.
The Ceremonial Lighting of the Bacolod Government Center, to officially open the festival, will be at 6 p.m. that will segue into the 80-piece alfresco Concert of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra at the main festival stage.
Food stalls vary with some Chinese cuisine, inasal, lechon while cooking demos, Asian arts and crafts at the Imperial Village will open 4 p.m. on February 1, 2019.
On February 2 (Saturday), the annual cultural show will be at 6 p.m., the Manila-based Hokkien-style Chinese opera, Kao Ka, at 8 p.m. followed by the crowd favorite Lantern Dance Competition.
On February 3 (Sunday), Bacolaodiat Street Dance Competition will start at 3 p.m., while the Parade of Mascots is at 4 p.m.
At 4:30 p.m. of February 3, the Lantern Dance Competition will move to the Goldenfields Commercial Complex.
On February 4 (Monday), Yuan Thong Temple, another festival site, will open at 6 p.m. with Cultural Shows, Light Opening Prayer at 10:30 p.m. and the Hitting of the Bell at midnight.
The nightly events and crowd drawers Symphony of Lights & Sparks (fireworks) and Lunar Music Fest will be at the main festival site, Bacolod Government Center. Front and back portion, respectively.
On the day of the Chinese New year on February 5, there will be no more events at the Bacolod Government Center, rather the festival will cap with repeat performances of the Top 3 winners of Lantern Dance Competition at SM Bacolod.(Bacolod PIO via NDB)
