Cagayan de Oro City’s premier festival was officially launched at the City Hall Quadrangle last July 31, 2017.
Kag. Jay Roa Pascual, chairman of the City Council Tourism Committee, officially launched Higalaay Festival 2017 during the July 31st flag ceremony at City Hall.
With him was Ms. Dorothy Jean B. Pabayo, chairperson of the City Tourism Committee, members of the City Tourism Council and lead persons of the Core Events for this year’s festival. This was followed by a news conference attended by local mainstream and social media at VIP Hotel where further details and issues facing the festival were discussed.
With the theme “Business As Usual,” Mayor Oscar S. Moreno declared that Cagayan de Oro City is safe and orderly, despite the extension of Martial Law in Mindanao.
According to the Higalaay Festival Secretariat headed by Ms. Imma Rae Gatuslao, there are 15 Core Events and 19 Parallel Events for this year’s edition of Cagayan de Oro’s premier festival.
HIGALAAY FESTIVAL is the city’s premier cultural event that is held in August in time for the celebration of the feast of Saint Augustine, patron saint of Cagayan de Oro. It is a month-long festivity filled with colorful, culturally-rich and fun-filled core and parallel events that are aimed to promote Cagayan de Oro city and its environs as an investment and tourism destination. It is through HIGALAAY FESTIVAL where public-private partnership is showcased as both the government – from the local and national line agencies – and the private sector – from the business to the academe, the arts and the industrial sectors – join hands to offer locals, guests, tourists and investors a taste of Kagay-anon culture, hospitality and distinct brand of fun.
The month-long celebration kicked off with the opening of the Agri-Aqua Fair and Garden Show on August 1st led by the Agricultural Productivity Office (APO) at Gaston Park.
Among the key core events of this year’s festival are the Mindanao Fashion Summit (Aug. 3-5, Limketkai Center); Cowboy Festival: The Annual Cagayan de Oro Horse Show (Aug. 18-20, CDO Uptown); Kahimunan Regional Trade Fair (SM City CDO Downtown Premier, Aug 18-29); Kagay-an Festival Marathon, (Aug. 20, Centrio Mall); Carnival Street Dancing Competition (Aug. 20, Poblacion); Higalaay Chorale Competition (Aug. 22, Centrio Mall) Higalaay Street Parade and Floats (Aug. 27, Rodelsa Circle-Limketkai Center); Bisperas Fireworks (Aug. 27, Cagayan River), and Religious and Fluvial Processions (St. Augustine Metro Cathedral, Cagayan River,August 28)
Guests and residents who wish to witness and join the festivities have been advised by local security forces to observe proper decorum and take safety and security precautions. (with a report from Aicy Soriano and Abigail Malalis, CIO).
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