The La Trinidad Strawberry Festival

Benguet, a landlocked province in Luzon, sits at the southern tip of the Cordillera Administrative Region. As it’s located on the Cordillera mountain range, the province is characterized by its mountainous terrains of peaks and valleys, ridges and canyons, and cool weather all year round. It’s home to the popular “Hagdan-hagdang Palayan” or rice terraces found in Banaue.

The richness of the land coupled with the cold weather earned Benguet its title as the “Salad Bowl of the Philippines”. Many of the country’s fruits and vegetables thrive in this region. There is also a wealth of flowers that end up being transported to different parts of the country. But if there’s one thing Benguet is known for, it’s strawberries.

Every 23rd of March, the capital city of La Trinidad brings out the best of its produce – strawberries. There are over 700 strawberry farms in La Trinidad alone. These farms produce over a thousand metric tons of fruit every year. As a tradition in many parts of the Philippines, the Strawberry Festival is a form of celebration and thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.

How the Strawberry Festival came about

Former Mayor Hilarion Pawid established the first-ever Strawberry Festival in 1981. Pawid recognized the potential of strawberry farming and staged the first Strawbery festival to encourage farmers to plant the fruit. It proved successful as Benguet is also now known as the “Strawberry Capital of the Philippines”.

The timing was also perfect because only a week prior is the Flower Festival or Panagbenga in Baguio, which is a three-hour drive from La Trinidad. It has become a tradition for many Filipinos to make a festival-filled holiday, visiting both the Flower Festival and the Strawberry Festival in one trip.

Currently, the festival is still widely known as Strawberry Festival, but is officially known as La Trinidad: Panaspulan, which means “cultural gathering”.

The many festivities at the Strawberry Festival

The Strawberry Festival is much-awaited. It has won several tourism awards and has even managed to achieve a Guinness World Record. In 2004, local bakeries baked the biggest strawberry shortcake ever created, weighing at 9,622.23 kg.

La Trinidad offers a whole gamut of activities the entire month. The schedule of events changes every year, but keep an eye out for announcements. It’s not always posted on the city’s official page, but newspapers usually post a schedule ahead of time.

Supporting the locals

The Strawberry Festival is an avenue for the local government and its partners to uplift the community. A massive job fair is held either at the beginning or towards the end of the festival, mostly offering agriculture-related careers. They also celebrate Caballero day, which is a music competition to promote the large pool of talented musicians in the region.

Markets and bazaars

With an abundance of not just strawberries but tons of other fresh produce, the Strawberry Festival won’t be anything without its trade fairs and public markets. Kiosks and stalls set up at the Municipal grounds have vendors selling all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as products such as jams, tarts, and pies.

The people of La Trinidad are also creative when it comes to merchandise. You’ll find many kinds of handicrafts for souvenirs or home display. Hand-woven garments are also iconic in the region. As part of their commitment to preserving the environment, you’ll also find different kinds of repurposed materials turned into bags, shoes, and other items.

Cultural displays

Long before the Spanish colonized the Philippines, early settlers in Benguet have already thrived off the rich resources of the province. Honoring this history, La Trinidad has several cultural shows and exhibits running throughout the month. A notable tradition is the “owik”, which is a ritual that involves piercing the heart of a sacrificial pig.

Of course, as this is the Philippines, these cultural displays also include street dance competitions, parades, and exhibits.

Sports and active fun

There are different sports events that happen throughout the month as well. The fun run is most common, but there may also be karate demonstrations, slow-pitch games, and basketball tournaments. Again, these activities change every year, but visitors are more than welcome to join in.

Strawberry binge

Of course, there’s no festival in the Philippines that doesn’t include tons of food. Since 2004, local bakeries replicate the giant strawberry shortcake to feed festival-goers. It’s nowhere near the original size, but the cake still manages to serve 15,000 slices every year. There’s also a Strawberry Shortcake Competition to encourage the innovation of one of La Trinidad’s most popular creations.

Farms are open for visitors any time of the year, and this is the best time to do some strawberry-picking. There’s also a competition for the best harvest. Farmers display their best picks where they’re judged for the heaviest and sweetest fruits.

Travel Tips

Festivals in the Philippines are fun, but it can be stressful because of the sheer amount of people. Here are some tips to ease your trip:

• There is no direct way to get to La Trinidad from Manila. There are two premium and luxury buses that go to Baguio. Book through either Joy Bus or Victory Liner. Both operators have several terminals in Manila so you can book from whichever is nearest you. From Baguio, it’s easy to take a taxi or a jeepney headed straight for La Trinidad.
• Cash is king. This is true for almost every province in the Philippines. While there are certainly commercial establishments in La Trinidad, you’ll want to do most of your shopping at the public markets and bazaars. This is where you’ll find the best products and the most unique souvenirs. There won’t be any credit card terminals here, so make sure you have enough cash to go around.
• Prepare for cold weather. While March is summer in the Philippines, Benguet can get pretty chilly. It might be pleasant in the day, but nighttime temperatures can drop significantly.