‘Woodstock’-inspired fest seen to boost Leyte's tourism

SAN MIGUEL, Leyte, Dec. 4  -- The recently-held “For the Love of Leyte” music and arts festival is expected to boost this town’s tourism industry.

San Miguel town Mayor Cheryl Enrica Esperas said in an interview Tuesday that hosting the Woodstock-inspired event that gathered music lovers and travelers from different parts of the country and overseas, is a big plus to their tourism promotion initiative.

A farm in Ginsiyaman village was the venue of the three-day festival that concluded on December 2. The village is a 45-minute drive from Tacloban City.

“Name recall is a big part and the participants saw our simple town, a farming and fishing community, with its own unique products,” Esperas said.

The event also helped local transport providers, such as jeepney, motorcycle, and pedicab drivers, with the influx of visitors since last week, she said.

The Veloso family farm is an eco-tourism destination with activities aligned with the town’s vision to be an eco-tourism destination in Leyte province.

The festival featured two stages for the musical bands, a pop-up market showcasing the best arts and crafts from the region and around the country, art grounds, and on-site camping.

The musical lineup has Ben & Ben, Kiko Bun (UK), Bullet Dumas, The Itchyworms, Babani Records (Mauritius), Reese Lansangan, Ang Bandang Shirley, Hernandez Brothers, Conscious & The Goodness, La Loba Negra, Free the Robots (US), Irie Sunday, Lunas, Rob Mananquil, Tom's Story, The 76 Receipts, KulaHig, LSR, Aurora, Maroon & Gold, Lady Suzette, Succubus, KRNK, Specs, The Guerillas, Digital Danboi (UK), Bruder, and Tom Turner, among others.

The event was inspired by Woodstock, a music festival held on a dairy farm in the Catskill Mountains, northwest of New York City, which attracted an audience of more than 400,000 in 1969. (LAAA/PNA)