Dancing to clear skies: The 1st Balbagan Festival
Welcome to the Balbagan Festival
The first summer rains usually pour on the 15th of May every year in this part of the country. But on that day in the town of Binalbagan, its Patron Saint San Isidro Labrador seemed to bless the 1st Balbagan Festival and 436th Annual Town Fiesta with clear skies.
For days prior to the festival, rains from Tropical Storm Cosme battered Negros Occidental. It was a miracle of sorts, then, that on the eve of the festival, the rains stopped in time for the Street Party while in other parts of the province, torrential rains mercilessly poured. Two bands, courtesy of San Miguel Corp., performed for the crowd of Binalbaganons and their guests. Even the Grand Fireworks Display sponsored by the Office of Mayor Alejandro Y. Mirasol enjoyed clear visibility from the star-studded sky.
Competing Tribe
Last May 15, the 15 barangays competing in the 1st Balbagan Street Dance Competition revelled in the sunny sky with their snake-themed costumes.
The concept of the new festival is based on two folklores of the origin of the town's name. One lore told of a huge snake which blocked ("binalabagan") the Binalbagan River of yore. Another lore told of the pounding ("balbag") of tree bark by shrimp traders. The traders used these pieces of tree bark to remove the slimy odor of their harvested shrimps and preserve them.
The choreographers of the 1st Balbagan Festival underwent a preliminary workshop from members of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCAA) led by Rudy Reveche. Original music was then specially composed to replicate the hissing of snakes through innovative shakers juxtaposed with the rhythmic pounding of bamboo "tultugan" reminiscent of the balbag ritual.
Tribes with the headress of a snake
Barangays were required to develop their dance numbers around the two themes of the festival. Highlights of the Street Dance Competition and Final Competition at the Mayor Pedro T. Yulo III Sports and Cultural Center included costumes and snake icons made from recycled materials (in accordance with the town's Solid Waste Management campaign).
The 1st Balbagan Festival ran from May 8-15 and was heralded by a 30-ft. lighted Golden Unity Serpent figurehead at the town plaza. To educate children about snakes, a live python was featured at the town plaza. Other activities included a Diana and Procession, the Gintong Tinig Star Search (Open Category), an Agro Fair, the 1st Alejandro Y. Mirasol BMX Bike Motorade, a Social Welfare Day, Employees' Night, Educators' Day, Face Painting, SK Day, a concert party by the Market Vendors' Association and a Dance Showdown of Pop and Latin Dances.