BACOLOD City – The City of Smiles is all set to dazzle the public with the annual Christmas Festival of Lights, slated for December 7, promising a lively celebration to usher in the yuletide season.
The event, anchored on City Ordinance 868 (CO-1011-2022), designates the first Saturday of December as the official date for the festival.
The ordinance also provides funding for the event in collaboration with STI-West Negros University (STI-WNU).
The festival draws inspiration from STI-WNU’s longstanding tradition of parades featuring students, faculty, and staff carrying illuminated Christmas lanterns – a practice spanning over two decades.
Councilor Jason Villarosa, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s Committee on Tourism, said the festival will follow the ordinance-mandated schedule.
The highlight of the celebration is a parade starting at STI-WNU and culminating at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), where an arena competition will showcase the participants’ creativity.
This year’s theme, “Christmas for Kids,” promises a joyful and colorful spectacle for all ages. The event will transform the city into a dazzling wonderland, featuring illuminated parades, intricately designed lanterns, and captivating light installations that symbolize hope, joy, and unity.
On the same evening, the official lighting ceremony of the BCGC will also take place, adding to the festive atmosphere.
The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) has issued an advisory urging motorists to avoid Burgos Street leading to the BCGC from late afternoon until the parade concludes, to ease potential traffic congestion./PN
