Philippine Festival

JANUARY  

BLACK NAZARENE PROCESSION - The Quiapo Church, in manila’s Quiapo district, houses the black Nazarene, a black image of Christ, which is paraded through the streets in massive procession on 9 January and again in good Friday.

KABANKALAN SINULOG – A wild street party in La Carlota, Negros, in which dancers are dressed in black in honor of the islands of Negrito people and feast is held to honor Santo Nino ( the child jesus).

ATI-ATIHAN - the most famous and riotous festival – long mardi gras in kalibo in Panay. Similar festivals are also held in neighboring towns. Cadiz in Negros and IloIlo celebrate Ati – Atihan on a weekend nearest 26 January.

SINULOG FIESTA– We see people during Cebu fiesta celebranting by engaging in unique sinulog dance. A unique two-steps-forward, one-step shuffle means to imitate the rhythm of the river.

DINAGYANG FIESTA - In IloIlo in Panay, this mardi gras –style festival honors Santo Nino with extravagant costumes and dancing.

CHINESE NEW YEAR – The Lunar New Year used to be celebrated by the Chinese community only. Now has come popular among Filipinos in recent years. There are dragon dances, street parties and huge parties displays in Manila and places with large populations of Chinese Filipinos.

FEBRUARY 

BAMBOO ORGAN FESTIVAL – Music lovers gather at the church of Las Pinas, to listen to organist play the worlds only bamboo organ.

PENABENGA FLOWER FESTIVAL

PENABENGA FLOWER FESTIVAL – For an entire week, the streets in the northern mountain city of Baguio come alive with song and dance, and there are floral parades with some spectacular floats.

Kaamulan Festival – The town of Malaybalay in Bukihan on Mindanao, is the setting of this celebration of unity between the tribal people in the area, through dance, song, story telling, eating and drinking.

MARCH

SENAKULO AT PABASA –Holy week passion plays (senakulo) are staged in a various parts of the country. In the week leading to Easter, while Pabasa or Pasyon, a recitation of the passion of the Christ , is held in many neighborhood. The most famous senakulo is Marinduques Moriones Festival.

GOOD FRIDAY CRUCIFIXION CEREMONIES – The country's most bizarre and controversial celebrations are the crucifixions re-enacments that occur on several towns, most famously in San Fernando Pampanga, north of Manila, where devotees are literally nailed to wooden crosses. A more sober affair is Ang Pagtaltal Sa Guimaras in Jordan Guimaras; this usually features Christ roped rather than nailed to his cross.

HOLY WEEK MORIONES FESTIVAL–Marinduques colourful signature festival is a week – long senakulo in which streets are over-run by masked locals, engaging in mock sword fights and playing pranks on bystanders.

BLACK SATURDAY LENTEN FESTIVAL OR HERBAL PREPARATION – In Barangay San Antonio on the “ spooky” island of siquijor, traditional healers strut their stuff to big crowds. Dozens of faith healers and witch doctors gather around a big pot, chanting and preparing a medical concoction that people say works.

KAMARIKUTAN FESTIVAL - Week after Easter, The kamarikutan kafe & Galeri in Puerto Princesa host this celebration of Filipino Artists, with workshop in everything from batik making to Filipino martial arts.

APRIL

RODEO MASBATENO – Cowboy up for Masbate’s week –long rodeo, with bull riding, lasso contest and other e vents.

MAY

PISTAY DAYAT - The town of Lengayen host this fluvial festival to pay homage to local fishermen.

VIVA VIGAN FESTIVAL OF ARTS - The preserved Spanish colonial town of vigan in North Luzon celebrates its heritage with, among other events, a kalesa (horse drawn carriage) festival, zarzuela (operattas) and weaving exhibits.

CARABAO RACES - Pavia, just outside IloIlo, is the best of a few places in Panay to observe water-buffalo races.

PAHIYAS SA LUCBAN - One of the most famous fiestas in the Philippines takes place in the town of Lucban in Quezon province, where houses are decked out with colorful kiping (leaf-shaped rice wafers) decorations, which are later eaten.

PASASALAMAT FESTIVAL - This fun thanksgiving ritual honours the year’s harvest in La Carlota on Negros.

 JUNE 

BALIBONG KINGKING FESTIVAL - More street dancing in this fiesta, honoring our Lady of Guadalupe , in town of Loboc in Bohol.

INDEPENDENCE DAY -On this day Filipinos proclaimed their independence from spain, an event now celebrated nationwide with civic parades, including a huge one at Rizal Park in Manila.

ARAW NG COTABATO -The city of Cotabato on Mindanao plays host to massive dance parades during its fiesta.

PARADA NG LECHON - A unique fiesta in Balayan, South of Manila, treating visitors to parade of the Philippines foremost delicacy , Lechon (roast suckling pig).

PINTADOS KASADYAAN - This “ painted festival “ in Tacloban in Leyte celebrates pre Spanish traditional tattooing practices albeit using water – based paints for festival’s body decorations

KADAYAWAN SA DAVAO FESTIVAL - This festival in Davao, Mindanao showcase its Muslim, Chinese and tribal influences with parades, performances and fruit flower displays.

 SEPTEMBER 

TUNA FESTIVAL - General Santos in Mindanao celebrates the king of all tinned creatures and its chief export with a festival that includes best – dressed tuna competition, a parade of fishing float and a sashimi night.

PENAFRANCIA FESTIVAL - Pilgrims flock en masse to Naga in southeast Luzon every year to celebrate Bicol region’s patron saint Virgin of Penafrancia

OCTOBER

FIESTA DE NUESTRA SENOR A VIRGIN DEL Sometimes called the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival. The Christian fiesta also involves partying, eating and dancing, as well as a big regatta featuring brightly colored traditional sailboats

MASSKARA FESTIVAL

MASSKARA FESTIVAL - In Bacolod in Negros, this joyful “many – faces festival ” features mask- wearing participants and dancing in the streets.

LANZONES FESTIVAL - The entire island of Camiguin goes Lanzones crazy – this small, yellow fruit is celebrated through parades, dance contest and of course the usual pageant.

 NOVEMBER

ALL SAINTS DAY (TODOS LOS SANTOS) - On the evening of all saints day, families laden with food gather at the local cemetery to spend the night remembering their departed loved ones. The atmosphere is surprisingly festive. If you happen to be in manila during this time, don’t miss the party at the Chinese cemetery, for a great cinematic take on these Filipino tradition.

PINTA FLORES FESTIVAL

PINTA FLORES FESTIVAL - The famously frenzied street festival of San Carlos , Negros has its roots in the traditional Filipino method of welcoming foreigners dancing en masse.

DECEMBER

SHERIFF KABUNSUNGSUAN FESTIVAL - This festival in Cotabato in Mindanao celebrates the arrival of islam in the region and includes river parades of decorated boats.