Festivals at Home
Ibalong Festival
Ibalong Festival is a colorful week-long event that draws both locals and foreigners to sample the culture and lifestyle of the people of Legazpi City.
The festival kicks off on the 25th of October through to the 31st of the same month. The annual festival’s name was inspired by the popular legend that regales visitors with tales of the city’s pre-colonial past.
Pulilan Carabao Festival
Pulilan Carabao Festival is celebrated in May, and is held in honour of the water buffalos. These animals are a prized possession in Philippines.
The water buffalos, locally known as carabao, is the national animal in the country. Some locals refer to this animal as the ‘kalabaw’, so do not be perturbed when you notice variations in the name of the water buffalo.
Pahiyas Festival
Pahiyas Festival is one of the country’s most colorful festivals on Philippines’ calendar. The event is held on 15th of May in the city of Lucban, Quezon.
At the core of this festival, is the celebration of a bountiful harvest. Locals revere great harvests, and there is no better way to celebrate this than with elaborate festivals. The beauty of it for the intrepid traveller, perhaps, is the fact that this Pahiyas is held to sync with harvest festivals across the country in different locations.
Obando Fertility Rites
Obando Fertility Rites are an interesting set of events that take place in Philippines. These events are reflective of Catholicism in the country.
For a country that is largely Catholic, some festivals in the country are an eye-opener into the beliefs and practices that the locals hold dear. This particular festival is laced with ancient pagan practices which have been infused into the religious values.
Sarangani Bay Festival
Sarangani Bay Festival, also known to the locals as Sarbay Fest, is an annual event in Sarangani Province. The festival is held on every third week of May.
Arguably the most popular beach event in the southern region of Philippines’, Sarbay festival is a must attend for many tourists. The festival attracts both locals and foreigners to an outdoor event like no other.
Mudpack Festival
Mudpack Festival is one of Philippines’ most symbolic festival. It celebrates strides that man has made in preserving nature, similar to the primitive age.
The idea of a mud-slinging fiesta is a creative one, especially because it brings participants as close to nature as they can possibly get. Becoming one with and celebrating Mother Nature is the essence of this spectacular festival.
Sandugo Festival
Sandugo is an annual event held in March in Bohol Island. The festival is held to honor the life of a local and revered Filipino leader, Datu Sikatuna.
It is believed that in the mid-16th century, Datu signed a friendship treaty with a Spaniard king, leading to close associations with Spain. The events that led up to the signing of the treaty were orchestrated by the arrival of the king from Spain in 1565.
T’nalak Festival
T’nalak Festival, also known as Tinalak Festival, is a festival held to celebrate the anniversary of South Cotabato, and is observed every July.
The festival’s unique name is attributed to a popular piece of colorful cloth woven by the local T’boli women (T’boli is a tribe in the region). The cloth is known as a t’nalak, and is made of abaca clothing. There are a number of reasons why this was the choice clothing among so many options.
Kinabayo Festival
Kinabayo festival is an amazing event on Dapitan City’s social calendar. The event is held every year, with tourists thronging to this location.
While Dapitan City is best known for its amazing history as home to the location where national hero and symbol of struggle, Dr. Jose Rizal was executed, it is also home to amazing festivals such as Kinabayo. The annual event attracts tourists in their numbers as they head off to the southern region to enjoy the sun, sand and sea.
