The Tanduay Bacolod Rum Festival formally opened this afternoon, Aug. 12, at the Art District in Mandalagan, highlighted by an art exhibition and jazz concert featuring the city’s leading artists.
“As a proudly Philippine-made rum, Tanduay has always been a staunch supporter of local artists. The art exhibition and concert featuring Bacolod’s finest are the perfect opening events for the festival, which celebrates the best of the local industry,” Tanduay said in a statement.
Visual artist Charlie Co, founder of the Orange Project and Orange Gallery, conceptualized the Jazz Festival to complement the opening of the new art exhibit at the gallery.
Co said at the opening ceremony, “It’s time to celebrate life after two years” of lockdowns and the pandemic, and thanked Tanduay for the resumption of the festival.
“Let’s collaborate with Tanduay and work together to move forward,” added the renowned artist. “The art scene in Bacolod is alive.”
The group exhibition, titled “Man and Monster”, features the works of PARA Collective artists Lec Cruz, Jason Montinola, RA Tijing, Ciane Xavier, Kaloy Sanchez, Nix Puno, Martin Honasan, Dexter Sy, Krista Nogueras, Don Dalmacio, and Victoria; as well as of Manila artists Dex Fernandez, Kiko Escora, Romeo Lee, and 13 Lucky Monkey.
Councilor Em Legaspi Ang, who authored City Ordinance 898 passed in May 2019 that paved the way for the first Tanduay Bacolod Rum Festival that year, said she looks forward to a big celebration this year.
“For sure the Tanduay Bacolod Rum Festival will be the front act for the Bacolod Masskara Festival” in October, and the first in-person festivity after two years.
Ang, who is the chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on History, Culture, and Arts, said she anticipates more people to participate and join the various activities lined up until Aug. 20, mostly to highlight the city’s food, culture, arts, music and dances.
“The festival is to commemorate the fact that the biggest rum in the world is made here in Bacolod, and it’s a by-product of sugarcane, so we’d like to capitalize on that,” she added.
Councilor Jason Villarosa, chairperson of the SP Committee on Tourism, thanked Tanduay for the resumption of the rum festival that will surely help revive the tourism and economy of the city.
Meanwhile, after the gallery opening, a jazz music festival followed with the Mike Tambasan Group, Mojo Nava, and Nancy Brew.
The Food Park at the New Government Center grounds also opened this afternoon, where the city’s most popular dishes and other food options will be available to the public from 4 to 11 p.m. during the nine-day rum festival.
FOOD, ARTS, AND MUSIC
On Aug. 13, the barrel painting contest will be held at the Main Atrium of SM City Bacolod starting from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The street art competition will be held on Aug. 14 to 17, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Bazket BCD along Lacson Avenue.
On Aug. 16, the bottle art competition will be held at SM City Bacolod from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
At 1 p.m. that same day, the screening for the flairtending and mixology competitions will be held at Planta Hotel, and chef BJ Uy will lead the distinguished panel of judges who will screen the contestants, the festival organizer said.
On Aug. 19 and 20, the highly anticipated culinaria contest will be held along with a food crawl of some of Bacolod’s leading restaurants.
The Tanduay Bacolod Rum Festival will end on Aug. 20 with a float parade and street dance competition from 4 to 6 p.m. at the NGC grounds, while at 7 p.m., the grand finals of the flairtending and mixology contests will be held at the NGC grounds, to be followed by the awarding ceremonies of the barrel art, bottle art, street art, and culinaria competitions, also at the same venue.
At 8:30 p.m., there will be a free concert featuring Ethan Loukas, Magnus Haven, and Arthur Nery at the NGC grounds, and Tanduay brand ambassador Derek Ramsay will make a special guest appearance./CGC
