Dagupan City’s annual celebration of Bangus Festival 2006 promises bigger and more exciting events this summer which will culminate on the staging of the longest barbecue party dubbed “kalutan ed Dagupan”, the event that reinforced the market positioning of Dagupan as the Bangus Capital of the World.

Bangus Festival is a yearly event in Pangasinan initiated by Mayor Benjamin Lim that aims to promote the city’s local bangus (milkfish) industry. The Guinness World Records still recognizes the “kalutan ed Dagupan” as the Longest Barbecue of the World as shown flashing on the screen of its latest official website.

The “kalutan ed Dagupan” last year gathered a total of 500,000 participants including tourists here and abroad, the biggest crowd ever in the entire history of Dagupan City and Pangasinan.

“This year’s celebration of the Bangus Festival offers other events that make the city’s summer spectacle the ultimate celebration and promotion of the city’s world famous Dagupan bangus”, said Councilor Nick Aquino, Chairman of the Bangus Festival 2006.

The festival formally kicks off with the Interfaith Thanksgiving Prayer on April 21 where city government officials lead the offering prayer in honor of the city’s patron saint simultaneous with the Bangus Fest Caravan, Bangus Fest Opening Ceremony and the exhibition of various Drum and Bugle Corporations.

Aside from the longest barbecue, the event will also highlight the 101 Ways to Cook Bangus where seasoned cooks will showcase their talent of presenting the succulent bangus in many distinctive delicacies set on April 26.

Major festivities lined up for the Bangus Festival 2006 include the Grand Creative Float Parade on April 29 featuring the pageantry of bangus floats parading the entire stretch of the downtown area to the delight of the spectators and the Gilon! Gilon! ed Dalan, a colorful street dancing competition depicting the bountiful harvest of bangus.

Aquino said there will be a street party featuring concerts of various local and national bands catered for all ages and some famous dignitaries and showbiz personalities to grace the event. He anticipates that this year’s Bangus Festival will draw bigger crowd breaking last year’s record. (CIO/Leziel T. Cayabyab)