The Kambal Festival, the 3rd edition to be held recently at the Angeles Heritage District, is now rivalling other festivals around the country in sheer entertainment and tenacity to bring out the best of the Angelenos and the Kapampangans.
The Mardi Gras-like festivities kicked off with a grand parade of the 18 set of twins to celebrate Angeles City’s Twin Fiesta celebrations – the La Naval Fiesta and the Apu Mamacalulu Fiesta.
Colorful floats and costumes of participants rival New Orleans’ Mardi Gras in the United States minus the booze. The spirits can be had at the Tigtigan Terakan king Dalan which is scheduled on October 20-21, 2023.
Elated by the successes of the recent Kambal Festival in the past, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. has vowed to double up the cash prizes in the next Kambal Festival in 2024.
Mayor Lazatin has won the hearts and minds of the Kapampangans not only in Angeles but also the people in the First Congressional District and Pampanga province.
Mayor Lazatin is now “The People’s Mayor” – well-loved by kids and students who sees him as a very approachable public servant who takes time for a “selfie” with them.
At the Kambal Festival, Angelenos rose like the proverbial phoenix – from the restrictive COVID-19 pandemic that confined people all over the world, the cataclysmic eruptions of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, and the eventual pull out of the Americans at the former US-run Clark Air Base.
At the Angeles Heritage District, we celebrate our Kapampangan culture as we got lost in the revelry. –Nelson Gonzales