It will be a star-studded face-to-face comeback for the five-day Silver Kadalag-an Festival in Victorias City that kicks off Friday, March 17, Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez said Thursday.
Benitez said he is inviting the public to join the festival that will have a lot of exciting performers and activities lined up from March 17 to 21.
The “epic and grandest” comeback of the festival, after a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to draw a crowd of 15,000, organizers said.
Special performers at the Kadalag-an Queen coronation night at the Victorias coliseum will he movie star and singer Sarah Geronimo and her husband, Matteo Guidicelli, and will also be attended by actor-model Daniel Matsunaga.
It will be hosted by Marco Gumabao and Billie Hakenson, and the chairman of the judges will be Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa.
The event will be for free on a first-come-first-serve basis, Benitez said.
Other performers will be the Brownman Revival on March 17, December Avenue on March 21 and Noven Belleza, Boobsie Wonderland and Ian Red on March 19.
This year’s festival has three new fun additions, Benitez said.
They will hold the first glow in the dark fun run on Friday night, the Sidlak Malihaw awards rites on Monday will honor the first hall of fame awardee of the city, and a Palarong Pinoy is set, he said.
The Palarong Pinoy will have fun activities such as hotdog and dynamite eating, agawang buko, LGBTQ boxing, and egg throwing contests, Benitez said.
The city’s Charter Day on March 21 will be a holiday, he said.
The Victorias City government has allocated about P10 million for the festival and sponsors have also made donations.
The festival is expected to draw tourists who will spend while in Victorias, he said.
There will be 150 law enforcers who will ensure that the festival will be very safe and secure, Benitez said.
He appealed to festival participants not to bring weapons, and not to urinate anywhere as portalets will be provided.
The annual street-dancing competition has been moved to the Malihaw Festival, he said.*