'Luces by the Sea' to add color to Paraw Regatta
A big crowd is expected to gather along the Villa Beach as the Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation Inc. (IPRFI) infused another innovation in this year's 36th Paraw Regatta festival through Luces by the Sea, a seven-minute fireworks display on the evening of February 16.
Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation executive director Ben Jimena said the winner in last January's Luces in the Sky fireworks competition -- a group from Dumaguete -- will show another kind of fireworks display.
The fireworks display is sponsored by the regional office of the Department of Tourism through Director Edwin Trompeta. The fireworks display cost P70,000. It is not as grand as last month's fireworks competition and yet it is something new. The fireworks display is an additional attraction before the competition proper for the sailboats or paraw on February 17, 2008.
Jimena said it is a must see attraction and it is something unique for Ilonggos to witness fireworks that goes to the sea or water and not in the sky.
He added, the fireworks display would be followed by the release of Japanese paper balloons. The release of Japanese paper balloons is likewise a new innovation in the paraw regatta. Both, the fireworks display and the release of Japanese paper balloons would add color to the event.
Being chosen as the third best tourism event in the country, the organizer included other events such as Miss Iloilo Paraw Regatta 2008, samba torch parade and competition, food festival, Pinta Layag, Pinta Tawo, slalom race, miniature sailboat race competition, beach football and volleyball.
In the Pinta Layag competition, the winner will receive P5,000 cash prize and trophy, 2nd prize P3,000 and trophy and P1,500 and trophy for the 3rd prize winner. The 4th and 5th placers will receive P1,000 each.
In the Pinta Layag, there would be 60/40 sharing of cash prize between the artist and owner of sailboat. Sixty percent of the cash prize will go to the artist and the 40 percent to the owner of the sailboat. The trophy will also go to the artist. The painted sailboats are the sailboats to participate in the race competition.
While, 1st prize winner in the Pinta Tawo will receive P5,000 cash prize and trophy; 2nd prize P3,000 and trophy and P1,500 and trophy for the 3rd prize winner. The 4th and 5th placer will receive P1,000 each.