BacoLaodiat Festival kicks off
Police security operations were intensified as the 12th BacoLaodiat Festival kicked off with the Dazzling Grand Parade and the opening of the Chopsticks Alley and Imperial Village at the North Capitol Road starting 4 p.m. Friday.
About 200 policemen will be deployed to various festival sites along with force multipliers from different barangays.
The Bacolod City Police Office also asked for 50 augmentation personnel from the Regional Public Safety Battalion in Victorias City.
The festival, which ushers in the year of the Rooster, is themed “Rising Dawn of Success.”
It will be held at three festival sites – North Capitol Road, Yuan Thong Temple, and Bacolod Government Center.
BacoLaodiat chairperson Jennifer Gochangco-Ong said partici- pants in the parade include Chinese community groups, city officials, and students from Chinese schools in Negros Occidental.
Revelers will experience the traditional Chinese culture through the Lantern Dance Competition, nightly Symphony of Lights and Sounds, lion and dragon dances, cultural shows participated by Chinese schools, corporate nights hosted by the festival sponsors, lanterns display, and food alleys.
Bacolaodiat comes from the words “Baco” for Bacolod and “Lao Diat” which means celebration in Fookien.
Among the festival activities on Friday were: lantern street dance competition at 5 p.m.; ceremonial lighting of Chinese lanterns and cultural show; fireworks display at the North Capitol Road at 10 p.m.; ringing of the 108 bells at the Yuan Thong Temple at 12 midnight.
On Saturday, there will be a lantern dance competition from 6 p.m.to 9 p.m., and the top three winners will be announced. It will be followed by a fireworks show at 11 p.m.