Quezon City’s biggest green festival, the HortiKultura Extravaganza 2016, unfolds at the Flower and Tropical Gardens of the Quezon Memorial Circle on February 4 to 15 with events to promote love of nature and a greener environment in the National Capital Region.
Spearheading the effort to make the festival a yearly green celebration – Quezon City being the greenest in the NCR – are the QC government through the QMC management and the QC parks development and administration department (PDAD) and the Philippine Horticultural Society, Inc. (PHSI). PHSI president Adoracion S. Bernabe said HortiKultura Extravaganza 2016 is also a celebration of the 40th founding anniversary of the PHSI.
Mayor Herbert M. Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte are fully supportive of the efforts of PHSI and other participants in the HortiKultura to make the now-yearly QC celebration a flower festival like the Panagbenga of Baguio City. HortiKultura, as a festival, was launched last year as part of the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Quezon City.
The green festival will be highlighted with a float parade and street dancing competition on February 12, according to PDAD head Engr. Zaldy Dela Rosa. Float parade participants are the Quezon City government, Del Monte Philippines, Villar Foundation, PHSI, HARBEST, Agri-Aqua Network International (AANI), King Louis, Bonsai and Suiseki Alliance of the Philippines BSAPI) and Ashitaba.
For 12 days there will be a landscape exhibit and competition and commercial trade booths. Starting on February 5, daily lectures and workshops will also be conducted.
Other events include a table top plants competition, a floral arrangement competition, an on-the-spot painting competition, planting of native trees, launching of “Bahay Kubo sa Circle,” a bonsai wall of fame, a pets and other animals show, and commercial exhibits. (Mencio, QC-PAISO)
