The beautiful island-province of Guimaras is now gearing up for the Manggahan Festival 2016, and I’ll be marking my calendar on May 11-22 for a trip across the strait to enjoy its world’s sweetest mangoes!
The festival drum-beating actually started March 31 when we were invited (as members of Iloilo media and bloggers) for the press presentation of Mutya ng Guimaras 2016 candidates – 9 sweet and lovely girls from 5 municipalities hoping to inherit the crown from reigning Queen Madelle Estaya – in SM City Iloilo activity center.
You can read more about the pageant and candidates here.
This year’s theme “Forward We Go. Together We Grow. Padayon Guimaras.” hopes to pillar the plans of Guimarasnon for inclusive growth and vibrant development of the province.
While the major events will start on May 11, each town will have its own celebration on the whole month of April 2016. Here’s the full schedule:
2016 Manggahan Festival Schedule
April 1 (Friday) – Grand Caravan
April 1 to May 22 – Manggahan Sports Festival
April 2-3 (Saturday and Sunday) – Manggahan sa San Lorenzo
April 9-10 (Saturday and Sunday) – Manggahan sa Sibunag
April 16-17 (Saturday and Sunday) – Manggahan sa Jordan
April 23-24 (Saturday and Sunday) – Manggahan sa Nueva Valencia
April 28-May 1 (Thursday to Sunday) – Manggahan sa Buenavista
May 11 (Wednesday)
7:30 AM – 5:00 PM Sports Complex – 2nd Gov. Gumarin Motorcross Challenge
9:00 AM – Opening Mass (Canopy)
9:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Mango Growers and Financier’s Day (Provincial Gym)
10:00 AM – 12:00 NN – Opening of Agri Trade and Tourism Fair, Food Fest, Pintraysekel, Manggahan Photo Contest 2016 Exhibit (Food Court Area)
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Pinta Basura sa Manggahan (Food Court Area)
3:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Employees’ Day (Food Court Area)
9:00 PM – Guimaras Caterers Association & Guimaras Food Processor’s Night, Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 12 (Thursday)
7:30 Am – 9:30 AM – OPENING SALVO and STREET DANCE COMPETITION (Provincial Capitol Grounds)
10:00 AM – 12:00 NN – Opening Program and Press Conference (Provincial Capitol Grounds)
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Red Cross Day (Food Court Area)
6:30 PM – 10:00 PM – Talentadong Guimarasnon Year 2 Finals (Food Court Area)
Guimaras State College Night (Food Court Area)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 13 (Friday)
7:30 AM – 5:00 PM – Farmers and Fisherfolks’ Day Para sa mga Mangunguma – (Food Court Area)
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Salida Pamilya sa Manggahan (Provincial Gym)
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM – Job Fair (GTIC Function Hall)
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM – OFW Night (Food Court Area)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 14 (Saturday)
6:00 AM – 5th Mango Man Triathlon (Alubijod Cove to Provincial Capitol)
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Manggahan Sports Fest Championship Games (Provincial Gym)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
5:00 Pm – 8:00 PM – LAKAN and LAKAMBINI CORONATION (Food Court Area)
8:00 PM -10:00 PM LGU Night (Food Court Area)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 15 (Sunday)
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM – 1st Dog Agility Sports Event and Fun Match sa Manggahan (Trade Fair Area)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
7:00 PM – 11:00 PM – MR. GUIMARAS (Provincial Gym)
9:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 16 (Monday)
7:00 AM – 9:00 PM National Government Agencies and TAREC Day, Parada sang Serbisyo Publiko, NGAs Got Talent Competition (Food Court Area)
9:30 – 12:00 NN – One Stop Shop of Services (Provincial Gym)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – 2016 Manggahan Familia Culinaria (Food Court Area)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 17 (Tuesday)
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Manggahan Sports Fest Championship Games (Provincial Gym)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM – PGG Retirees’ Day (Food Court Area)
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM – DISCO DERBY (Food Court Area)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 18 (Wednesday)
6:00 AM – 8:00 AM – Pasundayag sang Taga DEPED, Fit N’ D Crowd (Food Court Area)
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM – Literary and Musical Contest (Food Court Area)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM – WV Cooperative Summit (Provincial Gym)
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM – QUO VADIS, JUAN? (Food Court Area)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 19 (Thursday)
8:00 AM – 12:00 NN – WV Cooperative Summit (Provincial Gym)
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Tourism Day, Amazing Race (Food Court Area)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM – TRIGs Night (Food Court Area)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 20 (Friday)
8:00 AM – 12:00 NN – 2nd Provincial Rescuelympics (Food Court Area)
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Kalusugan Pangkalahatan sa Manggahan (Health Day), Dugong Alay sa Manggahan, Symposium on the Importance of Voluntary Blood Service Program 9GTIC Board Room)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM – Search for Mutya ng Guimaras (Provincial Gym)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 21 (Saturday)
2nd Manggahan Bike Fest Day 1
6:00 AM – Tour de Guimaras (Jordan Wharf)
7:00 AM Enduro Challenge (Woodland Bike Park)
2:00 PM – Kiddies Race, Woodland Invitational Tournament (Woodland Bike Park)
6:00 AM – Color Fun Run (Provincial Capitol Canopy)
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM – ManggaZumba (RTC Parking Area)
8:00 AM – 12:00 NN – MANGGAHAN CULTURAL COMPETITION (Food Court Area)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Mango Picking (Capitol Area)
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM 0 Sinadya sa Capitol / Tunog Manggahan (Food Court Area)
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM – CULTURAL COMPETITION AWARDING CEREMONY (Food Court Area)
4:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Kapamilya Caravan (Food Court Area)
9:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
May 22 (Sunday)
2nd Manggahan Bike Fest Day 2
6:00 AM – Funride (Jordan Wharf)
8:00 AM – Cross Country (Woodland Bike Park)
11:00 AM – 4X and BMX Challenge (Woodland Bike Park)
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM – AWARDING Bike Fest ((Woodland Bike Park)
7:00 AM – Anniversary Parade, DRUM and Majorette Parade Competition (Hill Top to Food Court Area)
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM – MANGO EAT ALL YOU CAN (Trade Fair Area)
9:00 AM – Thanks Giving Mass (Food Court Area)
10:30 AM – 12:00 NN – Anniversary Program (Food Court Area)
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM Awarding Ceremony (Food Court Area)
Drum and Majorette Competition
Manggahan Familia Culinaria
Agri-Trade and Tourism Fair
Manggahan Sports Fest
Pintraysekel
Float Competition
Manggahan Photo Contest 2016
Others
8:00 PM – Estrellas sa Kalangitan Manggahan Fireworks Competition 2016 (Food Court Area)
10:00 PM – Live Band (Food Court Area)
Surely, locals and tourist will enjoy the events lined up for Manggahan, and yes, I’ll be there to once again savor (and bring home more of) the sweetest mangoes as its price range goes down during the festival.
I enjoyed my Manggahan trip last year, and definitely want some more mangoes this year!
See you and your family and friends there!
