Angeles street party symbol of Kapampangan resiliency

ANGELES CITY — The Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan (TTKD) 2017, one of the highlights of the Fiestang Kuliat fiesta celebration, symbolizes the resiliency of the Kapampangans.

Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, who led the monthlong festival’s kick-off ceremony at SM City Clark yesterday, said Angelenos bounced back despite the devastations wrought by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

Pamintuan said that TTKD (singing and dancing in the streets) started in 1992 or 25 years ago in a bid to bring back the old glory and economic activities in the city, which was severely affected by the natural calamity.

Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan is the biggest annual beer, food, music and street party that celebrates Angeles City’s triumph over the Mount Pinatubo tragedy.

It is considered as the local version of the Mardi Gras of Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans and even the Octoberfest of Germany.

TTKD is an annual event held every last Friday and Saturday of October in a one-kilometer stretch of the MacArthur Highway in Barangay Balibago here.

On its 25th anniversary this year’s TTKD was scheduled on October 27 and 28.

The TTKD committee has decided to highlight culture and arts that will showcase and performances from different artist and performers from the city.

The event is expected to serve as an opportunity to strengthen and boost tourist arrival as it caters large number of spectators. Sumptuous Kapampangan cuisines will also be served in stalls by the Culinarya Pampanga, a group of chefs in the city. Fiestang Kuliat silver anniversary celebration was organized by the JCI and the city government.