Mayor Greg Gasataya officially opened the three-day Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival on Friday morning, kicking off a weekend celebration of the city’s top culinary icon.
The festival opened at the temporary Manokan Country site located at SM City Bacolod, where the festival’s opening day gave guests an immediate taste of the various styles of local chicken inasal.
“The grills are all fired up to celebrate the culinary pride that perfectly matches the warmth and vibrance of Bacolod’s world-renowned smile,” Gasataya said, urging the public to join the festivities.
“Come savor the flavors of the undisputed best grilled chicken in the world. Let us support the local culinary artists turning the skewers of our history, and feast on the very dish that brings every Bacolodnon to the same table,” he added.
The mayor added that a wide array of activities have been lined up for the public over the three-day event.
Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez also shared his support for the event in a Facebook post, emphasizing that the festival stretches far beyond the food itself.
“The Bacolod Chicken Inasal Festival is more than a food celebration,” Benitez stated.
“It is a proud showcase of our culture, our creativity, and the hardworking people behind every grill, every stall, and every serving of Bacolod’s world-famous inasal. It reflects the tradition, skill, and passion that continue to define our city and bring people together”, he said.
“Let’s enjoy the festival and continue sharing the pride and joy of Bacolod with everyone,” he added.
Councilor Celia Flor said the festival has grown significantly over the years. It originally started as a one-day event but was expanded to a three-day celebration during the term of then-mayor Benitez to properly honor the city’s number one food icon.
The weekend itinerary promises to keep the energy high.
At 4 p.m. on Saturday, the Bacolod Chicken Inasal Parade—featuring creative floats, followed by a street dancing, and arena competition—will commence at Megaworld’s The Upper East.
On Sunday, the festivities move to Ayala Malls Capitol Central, which will host the Chicken Inasal Cook-off at 10 a.m., followed by the San Miguel Beer Pairing and Food Tasting 2026 at 6 p.m.
George Jardiolin, regional operations manager for Visayas SM Supermalls, in his speech at the opening rites explained that the construction of the permanent new Manokan Country building faced delays due to the fuel crisis.
However, Jardiolin reassured the public and local vendors that SM remains fully committed to completing the project as promised.*
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