Camiguin’s Lanzones Festival goes online

NO STREET DANCE Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Camiguin goes digital for its 41st Lanzones Festival this year and lets go of major events such as street dancing. Photo taken during the 40th Lanzones Festival in 2019. —JIGGER J. JERUSALEM

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Philippines — Amid threats posed by the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Camiguin province’s Lanzones Festival will still push through this year, according to the province’s tourism office.

But unlike the grand festival that usually draws many tourists to the island known for its sweet lanzones, this year’s festivities will take place online on Oct. 18 to Oct. 25 to ensure everyone’s protection, said Provincial Tourism Officer Candice Naome Dael.

She said the COVID-19 pandemic halted all the grand plans that the province had previously set for 2020, the 41st year of the festival.

“With restrictions on the movements of people and [the required protocols against] mass gatherings, what used to be a spectacular festival will surely be missed this time,” Dael said.

‘New normal’The official said the province would still keep its time-honored tradition to celebrate its bounty on digital space through social media platforms. All of the festival’s online activities could be viewed at www.facebook.com/lanzonesfestival and other social media outlets tapped by the provincial government.

Gov. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo said the events had been organized with the “new normal” in mind, especially with the prohibition on mass gathering.

“These [activities] are all virtual. It means there will be no gathering of people, except for the TikTok dance contest which will also be limited within the family circle only,” Romualdo said.

Camiguin residents who love dance may join the “Buwahan TikTok Challenge” to showcase how they celebrate the festival at home. The contest can be participated alone, by duo or entire family contestants.

Shutterbugs will also get the chance to share their shots in the “Handurawan,” an online photo contest, while vloggers can tell stories about the island on YouTube.

Budding artists will exhibit their artworks in the digital cover poster design competition, while designer wannabes can showcase their own version of the traditional wear called “paksoy” in the first-ever “Aggama Ki Ta Paksoy” contest.

Online sale

Different towns of the province will battle it out at the festival-themed town hall dress-up contest, using old, upcycled decors.

The Lanzones Festival will also feature for the first time “Camiguin Foodscapes,” a showcase of the island’s rich culinary heritage, which can be viewed on the event’s Facebook page.

Starting Monday, nonresidents can buy lanzones and other Camiguin products online, to be delivered to their chosen addresses within Mindanao and the Visayas. Delivery to Luzon will be limited by distance and flight availability.

The provincial government has partnered with the Department of Tourism in Region 10 for the three-day on-site sale of Camiguin products on Oct. 22 to Oct. 24 at a mall in Cagayan de Oro City.

Romualdo said the province expected to harvest 100,000 boxes of lanzones this year, much lower than last year’s yield of 250,000 boxes because of unfavorable weather conditions.