Looking back to my first Candelaria Festival
It was in year 2020 when I first witness the Candelaria Festival. It is a festival which annually happens on the first week of February in celebration for the feast of Señora Maria De La Candelaria. Señora Maria De La Candelaria is the patroness of the municipality of Tagoloan, which represents fertility and purity. Normally I would not attend this kind of event for I find it tiring and exhausting being in a big crowd. But since it is our project to make an individual vlog in regards with the Candelaria Festival in one of our major subjects, thus I had no other choice but to comply instead of letting my grades go down the drain. Since our class usually ends at 2:30pm, I and my classmates had decided to film after class. Thus after class we would go around the municipal public plaza in group to take pictures, videos, and wrote down important details in regards with the events and activities.
On the first day of our “vlogging activity” we decided to take videos and pictures of the Candelaria Agro Trade Fair. It is almost a month long activity, which had taken place in the municipal public plaza. This event features varied types of ornamental plants, succulents, fruit seedlings, herbal plants and etc. There are also a number of nipa hut like booths which sells snack, refreshments, handmade products as well as gardening tools and materials. In addition this event showcased local cultivators, florists and farmers to introduce their crops and plants to a wide variety of prospective shoppers. The place was like a haven for the so-called “plant titas and titos”. You can see and take pictures of plants of various sizes, colors and kinds. What caught my attention the most was the rose like succulent plants. It was placed in a small pot and it seems like the plant was just the sized of my palm. It was so pretty that I wanted to buy one, but since I was on a tight budget that time, I only took pictures of it instead.
On the second day of our “vlogging activity” we had took videos and pictures of the grand opening of the Candelaria booth display, which had also taken place in the municipal public plaza besides the agro trade fair. This event had become a place of opportunities for small time business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products to a wide number of shoppers. In here, we had seen clothes, shoes, sandals, wallets, accessories and even k-pop merchandise which is sold at a very affordable price. It was indeed a budget friendly place to go to. I and my classmates walk around the area and bought some items such as a pair of shoes and clothes. We also took a picture with an albino python. It was big and long, its skin also feels slippery but the owner assured us that the python was not poisonous and aggressive.
On the third day, was our school’s dance and singing event, which had taken place at the municipal gymnasium. Since the said event happened at night not all of the students were able to attend, but still the huge gymnasium was filled with many students from various college departments. Most of the participants of the said event was from the college of education, thus almost all of the college of education people was there to show their support to the event, especially to the participants.
On the last and final day of our “vlogging activity” we had taken videos and pictures of the Kasadyaw Street Dancing Competition. This event had taken place on a sunny afternoon at the big busy streets of Tagoloan. This event was my personal favorite, for the event itself is indeed a feast for the eyes. Festive costumes shinning in beauty, as well as people dancing and rejoicing because of the festive music had truly made my heart leapt in pure bliss. We even dance with the participants in the middle of the street, which was really fun and exciting. After watching the street dancing competition we went back to the public plaza to eat and enjoy the rest of the day.
Those fun and exciting events was exactly 2 years ago, who would had taught that a person like me who dislikes big crowds would enjoy every passing day that I had visited and partake on the said various festival events and activities. I and my classmates was planning to visit and join the following Calendaria festival of the municipality of Tagoloan. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strict implementations, especially with public gatherings and activities. Thus their local government had decided to postpone public events and gathering for the greater good of everyone. However, the locals could still celebrate the festival instead in their respective homes. As long as they would abide with the protocols and policies that the local municipality had implement. Soon when the pandemic will end, I and my classmates would surely visit and make beautiful memories on the next Calendaria Festival.
✒️ thegirlwholeaptthroughtime || 02032022
