7th Piña & Fiber Festival highlights Aklan 50th Anniversary Celebration
Aklan province, the acknowledged piña capital and handloom weaving destination of the Philippines, will hold the 7th Aklan Piña & Fiber Festival (Fiber Fest) dubbed 7th @ 50th on 24-30 April 2006. This will be one of the major events to highlight the week-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of Aklan (25 April). Venue will be at the Provincial Capitol Grounds, Capitol Site, Kalibo, Aklan.
Fiber Fest will showcase Aklan's best products of blended woven fabrics, fashion accessories and furnishings from piña, abaca, raffia and other fibers. Latest designs and concepts using mixed-media-based materials like abaca, seagrass, nito, lampakanay, agzam, rattan, wood, bamboo, and iron steel, will be used to feature products in the sectors of Gifts and Houseware and Furniture and Furnishings. Also to be displayed are the sought after deboned bangus, meat-based processed foods, and bakery products, while horticulturists, landscape artists and hobbyists will enjoy and appreciate anew the beauty of nature while buying the cutflower and ornamental plants.
To be highlighted in the fair is the contemporary lifestyle setting of living spaces by the world-renowned lifestyle designer, Mr. PJ Arañador. Mr. Arañador is the regular designer-consultant and visual merchandiser of the show.
Aside from the assisted SMEs, seventeen (17) municipalities of the province and several community-based organizations/agencies will exhibit their agri-industrial products. Likewise, a One Town One Product (OTOP) Corner will be mounted to showcase the OTOP of each municipality.
Other events to be featured in the week-long activity are:
Tsibugan sa Kapitolyo, a nightly dinner event at the Godofredo P. Ramos Park, Provincial Capitol Grounds. This is a special project of the Aklan Ati-Atihan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (AACCII) and the Provincial Government of Aklan. Around one hundred (100) exhibitors will join the Fiber Fest and Tsibugan. Another is the Aninag Fashion Show 2006 on 30 April, 7:00pm at the ABL Sports Complex, Aklan Provincial Grounds, featuring PJ Arañador and Aklan's seven leading designers.
Everyone is invited to come and join the week-long festival. Fiber Fest is a joint project of the Provincial Government of Aklan, the Department of Trade and Industry-Aklan Provincial Office and the Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. in coordination with the Aklan Piña Manufacturers and Traders Association, Inc. and the Hugod Aklanon Producers Association, Inc.
(Ruby M. Melliza with reports from DTI Aklan.)