DAGUPAN CITY, April 24 (PNA)–Tourists and local residents will be back in the main streets of Dagupan on Sunday, with the staging of the crowd-drawing ‘Festivals of the North’ (FON) that will pit 14 street dancing festival champions from Bulacan up north with the winner guaranteed the grand price of Php400,000.
The police said the crowd coming to see FON may eclipse the crowd that gathered during the “Gilon! Gilon ed Baley” on April 17 that opened the 2015 Dagupan Bangus Festival which was estimated at some 70,000.
Dagupan will be represented in the FON by Barangay Pantal after winning back-to-back the “Gilon! Gilon” Ed Baley’ street dancing last April 17 which was marred by heavy rain in mid afternoon. Dagupan is the FON defending champion. .
Other street dancing champions joining are the Goat Festival of Balungao, Mango Festival of Masinloc, Zambales; Halamanan Festival of Guiginto, Bulacan; Ani Festival of Dingras, Ilocos Norte; Hundred Islands Festival of Alaminos City; Basi Festival of Naguilian, La Union; Abel Iloco Festival of Cauayan, Ilocos Sur; Goling-Goling Festival of Cauayan, Ilocos Norte; Corn Festival of Sto. Tomas, Pangasinan; Abrenian Cauayan Festival of San Quintin,Abra; and Tobacco Festival of Candon, Ilocos Sur.
Special guest performer in the FON is the Manarat Festival of Tribu Catbalaoagan of Catbalogan, Samar
To prevent suspicion of a possible hometown decision, Mayor Belen Fernandez has revised the format in the selection of board of judges by allowing each of the participating contingent one judge each. Before known dancing aficionados from Manila used to be invited to judge.
First runner up prize in the FON is Php200,000; second runner-up, Php80,000; third runnere-up, Php50,000; and fourth runner-up, Php30,000.
The Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) said A.B. Fernandez Avenue, Burgo Street, Perez Boulevard, and M.H. del Pilar street will be closed starting at 6:00 a.. Sunday to give way to the street dancing parade starting at 8:00 a.m.
The competition will continue at the city plaza. (PNA)