IN other countries, such as the United States and certain parts of Europe, camping is a summer requirement. No summer is complete without a night in the wilderness, under the stars and nestled by nature.
For those who are looking to veer away from the tired equation of summer and beaches around these parts, camping is the way to go with the Alviera Brightscape Campfest on May 30 and 31 at the SandBox, an outdoor play park at Alviera in Porac, Pampanga. A camping festival never before experienced in the Philippines, Brightscape will bring art, music, recreation and adventure all in one place.
The overnight campfest will provide around 400 eager campers with their own tents, campfire treats, stargazing sessions with telescopes, and many other fun field-day events and activities at the 1,125-hectare Ayala Land development that is poised to become the commercial and residential growth center in Central Luzon. “Brightscape Campfest is an exclusive summer experience that only Alviera can provide. It’s a unique and great way to celebrate and crown the summer,” said John Estacio, Alviera general manager. “Visitors will even have a choice between staying the whole day and taking in the breezy plains of Porac, or they can go weekend camping with us overnight. We welcome everyone to enjoy the outdoors with us here.”
Brightscape will start off with “Art in the Sky,” an event that is all about the lost art of kite-making and kite-flying. Next up, “Wildernecessities” will bring a camper closer to the wild side with lessons in basic nature and survival skills from local experts. Learn to drink water from bamboo stalks, kindle a small camp fire, and pick out edibles from the available plants around. Ever marched to the beat of your own drum? Find your rhythm and feel the beat at “Pulses & Artbeats.” Led by the high-energy Adinkra Lumads Djembe Community, join this community drum circle and experience pulsing drumbeats like no other. If you’re into moving with the beat, learn the basics of “Flow Motion” from the experts at Flow Arts Philippines. Swing and sway with various classes using poi, hoops and other props.
As the sun sets, the outdoor stage show opens with “Ring of Fire,” a sunset spin jam featuring the flow artists and Djembe musicians. “Shadowtales” follows suit, a silhouette puppet-theater performance written and performed exclusively for Brightscape Campfest.
Aside from what Brightscape has in store, campers can also enjoy all of SandBox’s outdoor adventures and attractions such as the Adventure Tower, the Avatar One rollercoaster zipline, Giant Swing, Aerial Walk, the 9-kilometer Alviera-Columbia Bike Trail, mini-golf, archery, the children’s playground and ATV/UTV rides.
Evenings at Alviera are breezy and cool, marked by a beautiful night sky. To cap the night, the “Brightscape Music Jam” features a concert under the stars from some of the hottest names in music. The evening culminates with the soundtrack to a sizzling summer courtesy of Barbie Almalbis, Imago, Quest, The Ransom Collective, Chocolate Factory, Brisom, Absolute Play, and the Adinkra Lumads.
Simultaneously, overnight or weekend campers will be treated to exclusive Camper Field Day Events, such as tent-pitching 101 from Coleman’s camping pros, a bonfire session complete with marshmallows on stick with provided s’mores treats, plus stargazing and star-mapping sessions.
Campers can choose to avail themselves of the Day Adventurer package (P1,990 per person) that comes with roundtrip transportation from Manila to Alviera (with travel insurance), free use of all SandBox thrills and attractions, access to all Brightscape Field Day Events, passes to the Brightscape Music Jam, as well as an event kit filled with surprise Brightscape Campfest freebies; or the Weekend Camper (P2,990 per person) that entitles participants to all Day Adventurer inclusions, plus an overnight campsite stay, access to campsite-exclusive activities, free use of Coleman tents, and a hearty buffet breakfast the morning after.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes