CAMIGUIN OPENS BIGGEST FEST ANEW

MAMBAJAO CAMIGUIN, October 19, 2014 – The grandest and most awaited celebration of an island where lanzones trees bear at its sweetest, comes alive anew starting Sunday, October 19, with an extravaganza of colorful costumes, street dancing, parades, and beauties!

This yearly thanksgiving of bounty is known as the” Lanzones Festival”, it is on its 35th year now, ceaselessly captivating foreign and local tourists alike, not only with its luscious lanzones fruit but also for its natural wonders.

A showcase of unique, lively tribal dances depicting the story of the fruit and how it came to be the sweetest, awaits every guest. It’s the only time of the year where you get to see the fruit fairies come alive, teeming with grace and beauty as they dance their way to the crowd, for the yearly ritual or act of giving good bounty to the locals.

Based on the folklore, the word lanzones is derived from the Filipino word lason or poison.

The story talks of a about a certain town, filled with trees bearing those rounded, pale yellow fruit believed to be poisonous. They once saw a man who tried to eat one but instantly died the moment the fruit touched his lips.

And so, everybody were even more afraid of it until one day, there was no more food and they were hungry, a mystical lady came into town, singing and dancing on the streets, take the fruit and before they could stop her, she ate the deadly fruit!

         To their amazement the lady did not die and that’s when they started to harvest the fruit and now acclaimed to be the sweetest in the world.

Festivities

         Kabog (bats) and Music Showdown, festival parade, Mutya ng Buahanan, Street Dancing Competition and the Agro-Industrial Tourism-Trade Fair (UGMAD) marks the weeklong celebration.

            Other activities lined-up include 160 Festival Walk, sports tournaments, dance competitions, job fairs, horse racing and obstacle race, and fun games among others.