ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/17 September) – The local government, through the City Tourism Office, is having its hands full with preparations for a two-day Zamboanga Food Festival that will showcase local delicacies.
City Tourism Officer Sarita Sebastian-Hernandez said that eight popular local restaurants will participate in the festival from September 21 to 22.
The Food Festival where a meal can be had for only P150 will be held at the Plaza del Pilar from 5 p.m. onwards, according to Hernandez.
The Plaza del Pilar sits on a 7,000-square meter lot located just across the Fort Pilar, and is this city’s first-ever all-in-one pasalubong center where locals and visitors alike can buy souvenir items, eat or simply pass time.
There will also be music and entertainment to be provided by local talents, Hernandez said.
Participating restaurants will compete for the Top Seller and Best Local Cuisine awards, she said.
Among the cuisines that will be showcased are Curacha con Gata, Paella, Pochero, Callos de Andalucha, Ropa Vieja, Gata de Nangca, Galantina and Cocretas de Patatas, she added.
The holding of the two-day food festival is in line with the City Tourism Week celebration from September 21 to 27.
Meanwhile, Mayor Celso Lobregat has issued an executive order declaring the period September 21 to 27 as Tourism Week to foster local awareness about the importance of tourism encompassing its social, cultural, political and economic value.
Hernandez’s office has lined up other activities in observance of the tourism week, including Libre Paseo, a free tour of the city’s tourist attractions.
The celebration ends on September 27 to coincide with the International Tourism Day as bserved around the world based on the call of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). (MindaNews)