BACOLOD City – Negros Trade Fair, the country’s longest-running provincial trade fair now on its 36th year, returns in September after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to show the “resilience of Negrense spirit”.
Organized by the Association of Negros Producers (ANP) in partnership with the Negros Occidental provincial government, this year’s edition themed, “Hidlaw”, which is the Hiligaynon term for yearning, longing, or missing, will be held from Sept. 20 to 25 at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.
Mary Ann Colmenares, ANP vice president for advocacy, said the theme speaks of how much the association misses hosting the activity that they have been undertaking since 1985.
“The past two years has given us the opportunity to retool, reflect and restart. The 36th Negros Trade Fair will serve as a testament to the resilience of the Negrense spirit,” Colmenares said during the event’s official announcement on Thursday afternoon last week.
Among those to be featured are new countryside community-based artisans developed and empowered through the association’s engagement with the Provincial Peace and Order Council, she said.
“We are also excited to feature new brands that were borne out of the pandemic and innovative collections from our existing producers,” she added.
During the six-day event, local government units in Negros Occidental will also promote local tourism with their respective products while festival performers and the San Carlos City orchestra will entertain the guests.
“The City of Bacolod is also supporting the Negros Trade Fair with the feature of the long-running MassKara Festival set to happen in October,” Colmenares said.
For markets outside Metro Manila, the ANP will relaunch the virtual Negros Trade Fair through its online store www.shopnegrostradefair.com which started last year. (PNA/PN)
