Ibon Ebon Festival, one of the biggest festivities in Pampanga is set to happen this February. The Ibon Ebon Festival, dedicated to the famous Candaba Swamp which serves as the temporary home of thousands of birds and stop over as they migrate in different parts of the world.
Local officials, festival organizers and the residents of Candaba in Pampanga are now busy preparing for the annual celebration of the Ibon-Ebon Festival 2012 (Birds and Eggs Festival)
2012 Ibon Ebon Festival Activity Schedule:
Feb. 1 – Harvest fest, (Barangay Salapungan)and Grand dress rehearsal of main street dancers (Poblacion)
Feb. 2 – Trade fair and tiangge, (Poblacion) and Jamming with “Ibon” dancers (Genuino Park)
Feb. 3 – Grand Street Dancing Parade
Feb. 5 – Dragon Boat Race
One of the most attended activities are the Ibon-Ebon grand street dancing parade which will start from Poblacion going to Ms. Earth Park in Barangay Mandasig; bird watching, (Dona Simang Wildlife Reserve); river cruise, (Pampanga River); kite flying, (Barangay Mandasig) and concert of Sandwich Band; (East Park in Barangay Bahay Pare) on Feb. 3.
Other highlights of the celebration are the street dancing, (Barangay Pulongplazan to Bahay Pare), “itik” (duck) cooking contest, itik race, best itik dressed contest and free concert by SpongeCola (Ms. Earth Park in Barangay Mandasig).
The Ibon Ebon Festival 2012 makes the town a favorite destination for tourists, bird lovers, watchers and bird enthusiasts from all over the world.
The popular wetlands of Candaba Swamp in Pampanga is known as a sanctuary of at least 14,000 registered migratory birds in the 2010 Asian census, consisting of at least 40 species from different parts of the world. The Candaba Swamp serves as the birds’ home and stop-over point as they migrate from point to point in Asia and other parts of the globe.
Ibon Ebon Festival is a yearly celebration for another year of bountiful harvest. This was first celebrated on Feb. 1 and 2 in 1998.
