This year’s celebration of Dagupan City’s much-awaited Bangus Festival will highlight a new event dubbed “Bangus Fest Amazing Race 2006,” a 4-day travel adventure race that will bring the 15 team participants all around Dagupan City and some nearby towns on April 23 to 27.

This travel adventure game derived from America’s most popular reality show “The Amazing Race” and the local show “Extra Challenge” will challenge the physical, mental, emotional and even spiritual endurance of the participants by performing different tasks and obstacles as they arrive at every destination using only public transportation.

“The participants will surely experience an adventure of a lifetime as they encounter many challenges that will push and test the limits of their team. I dare them to be brave and face each challenge with courage and faith,” said Coun. Vladimir Mata, chairman of the event.

“Participating teams should aim to outperform each other since the first complete team to reach the final destination wins a total of P30,000 cash prize,” bared Mata as he assured their safety with members of the Search and Rescue Team always on the look out all throughout the race course.

The first day of the competition starts at the Dagupan City Plaza where a letter containing travel instructions will be handed to each adventure team that will lead them to perform a certain task to their next destination covering the municipalities of San Fabian, Manaoag, Mangaldan and San Jacinto. Team participants are strictly prohibited from bringing personal money.

The contest is open to all nationality aged 18 to 33 and each team must be composed of 2 males and 2 females. Application forms are available at the Office of Coun. Vlad Mata in Sangguniang Panlungsod or call 522-2907/515-5535 and look for Ms. Maan Carvajal.

Deadline for submission of application forms is on March 30. (CIO/Leziel T. Cayabyab)

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)