Enchanted Kingdom's grand birthday bash

Enchanted Kingdom made a grand entry to its sixth year during its fifth anniversary celebration last weekend. The mood was "extra" ecstatic and festive as guests (in long queues at the park's entrance) waited for their turn to enter the "kingdom" and be part of the grand birthday bash.

The huge crowd inside the park was unmindful of summer's scorching heat. The young enjoyed the rides while mom and dad toured the park with the kids where EK's clowns, mascots and jugglers -- in full force that afternoon -- entertained everyone to their heart's delight. mPower Band entertained a full crowd at the Bandstand area with their pop renditions while Eric Quizon kept the children attentive to his storytelling at the StoryBoard Camp.

At sunset, the park was fully lit as Philstage, the country's conglomerate of the top eight performing groups, started its grand costume parade to launch its Buhay! theater festival, a showcase of performances to be featured the whole summer at Enchanted Kingdom.

The parade started at Midway Boardwalk all the way to the Spaceport. The enthusiastic crowd followed the parade that stopped at each zone where vignettes of each theater group was shown. Excerpt performances served as previews of Philstage's Buhay! Sa Enchanted Kingdom.

First stop was at the Steeplechase Arcade where Musical Theater Phils. performed excerpts from its popular musicals like Katy and Kenkoy Loves Rosing. The PeTreeFied House at the Boulderville provided a unique stage for Gantimpala Theater excerpt performance of Tiktipaklong by award-winning playwright Rene Villanueva. The Grand Carousel and the fountain area was a fitting backdrop to Ballet Manila's young ballerinas dancing excerpts from Arnis, Adagio from Swan Lake and Dancing to Verdi.

Audie Gemora led a group of young artist in Trumpets' musical presentation of The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe at the Discovery Workshop while Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Michael Williams enamored the crowd with Actor's Actors Foundation Inc.'s medley rendition of well-loved Cole Porter tunes at the Brooklyn Place. Last stop was at the Jungle Outpost where Repertory Philippines did selected numbers of its Showstoppers Y2K. The parade swelled as everyone headed to the Spaceport where the highlight of the day's commemoration took place.

Under the clear, starry skies at the Spaceport and amid laughter and fun-filled shrieks of glee from thrill riders, the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Prof. Rodel Colmenar started their concert after the parade and mesmerized the audience with their live rendition of Enchanted Kingdom's theme song. This served as prelude to the park's most-awaited yearly event, the 5th Annual Fireworks Competition emceed by Mitch Valdes and Yoni Mamon.

Five finalists awed the crowd with their pyrotechnic masterpieces. In between performances of the MPO and to the tune of Enchanted Kingdom's theme song, each finalist orchestrated a visual spectacle of lights and colors that brightened up the skies of Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

In the panel of judges were Noli de Castro (chairman), Ramon Tulfo, Freddie Santos, Celeste Legaspi, Danny Tan, Boy Abunda, Audie Gemora, Bert de Leon and Chief Supt. Ricardo de Leon of the PNP's Civil Security Group. Adjudged winners were Six J Fireworks (first), CHC Fireworks (second) and Victory Fireworks (third).

The magic continues at EK with performances by Musicat in Revue today, May 21, and Ballet Manila on May 27.

EK's Readers' Theater will feature Mia Gutierrez of Gantimpala on May 12, Trumpets on May 19 and Tommy Abuel of Gantimpala on May 26. Energetic live music come to the park on May 28 in EK's Banda OPM featuring showbands The Great Divide, The Edge Band and the New Groove Band at the park's bandstand.