Pandan Festival Showcases Local Cuisine and Culture in Mapandan, Pangasinan

The local government of Mapandan, Pangasinan aims to enhance tourism in the area through a variety of activities for the upcoming Pandan Festival. The festival, which runs from March 18 to 25, is expected to attract more tourists this year as restrictions on crowd gatherings ease.

Mayor Karl Christian Vega shared that the festival highlights include the Pandan Cookfest, featuring various dishes that incorporate pandan leaves, and the Grand Street Dancing Competition among barangays. The opening of a Negosyo Center and Pasalubong Center will also take place alongside the festival’s launch, offering visitors and residents a chance to purchase various pandan products and other town items.

Pandan, historically abundant in the area, remains in high demand. Thus, the local government encourages more farmers to grow pandan and provides seedlings to the 15 barangays to plant in their community gardens, along with vegetables. The town also promotes sports activities such as the Biskeg-Peles Mapandan Triathlon and cycling, as well as water sports, with the recent grant of a slope protection project to improve the river system.

The festival also includes the Mutya ng Mapandan beauty pageant, the Alumni Night, the Balikbayan Night, and the Zarzuela to honor the native town of overseas Filipino workers.