MOST POPULAR FESTIVAL IN THE PHILIPPINES

FESTIVAL

A festival is a gathering of people to celebrate something. It can also refer to a one-day or

more when people in a country have a holiday so that they can celebrate something.
Festivals may be religious or national. They also may be events which feature different
cultural programs such as music, dancing, poetry, movies, etc.

Let me characterize the colorful and famous festivals in the Philippines:

 Cultural – These festivals celebrate harvest, arts, culture and food.

 Religious – These festivals commemorate Biblical figures and saints.
 Modern – These festivals are relatively new and showcase advancements in all
aspects.

SINULOG FESTIVAL- 15 January or every second Sunday of January

The Sinulog Festival is a cultural and religious festival held in Cebu City in honor of the
Sto. Nino or the Child Jesus. It is characterized by its colorful dance rituals that depict the
reception of the Filipinos towards Christianity. Traditional costumes are displayed in
action in street performances, with the highlight being a St. Nino figure being danced
around. At night, all roads lead to lively concerts and parties.

PROCESSION OF THE BLACK NAZARENE – January 9

One of the largest religious festivals in the Philippines is the Procession of the Black
Nazarene happening every year in Quiapo, Manila. This is done in honor of a black Jesus
Christ statue that is over 200 years of age. During this festival, the pilgrims walk barefoot
while parading the religious figure in the streets and back to the church.

ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL – Third Sunday of January

Another religious festival dedicated to Sto. Niño is the Ati-atihan Festival in Kalibo,
Aklan.
The name Ati-Atihan means "to imitate the Ati people".
People go to the streets to parade their faces and bodies painted black. Crafted weapons
are swayed to the beat of drums, provoking the watching crowd to dance with the
performers on the streets. Before you go, practice the famous chant of the dancers and
shout: "hala bira!"
DINAGYANG FESTIVAL – Fourth Weekend of January

In Iloilo City, people celebrate the Dinagyang Festival, a religious festival honoring
Jesus. A mascot called Dagoy makes rounds and puts the people in celebratory mood.
Dinagyang is characterized by frenetic stomping of feet and hypnotic drumbeating.
The Dinagyang festival is a cavalcade feast in honor of the Holy Child Jesus amidst the
cracking drumbeats.
The word Dinagyang came from a Hiligaynon word extrapolated from dágyang
meaning “merrymaking”. The festival hosts a celebration of the Santo Niño (Holy
Child or Infant Jesus) and the pact between the Datus and the locals after the arrival
of Malay settlers and the legendary barter of Panay Island from the natives called Ati.
As the most awarded festival in the country and having been named the best tourism
event by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines (ATOP) for several years,
the festival is often hailed as the "Queen of All Philippine Festivals."

DINAGSA FESTIVAL – Last week of January

In 2002, the annual revelry was renamed Dinagsa Festival. The choice was inspired by a
unique event – the landing of 12 whales on Cadiz shores in 1967. The root word “dagsa”
is Hiligaynon for “coming together”. In the case of the whales, Negrenses of all ages
came together, in throngs, to see the phenomenon. Today, greater throngs come, this time
to dance on the streets of Cadiz City. The evolution of the Dinagsa Festival took an
unexpected turn with the introduction of Lamhitanay sa Dalan, the paint festival. As a
carried-over tradition of smearing each other, Mayor Escalante explains that the shift
from the use of a charcoal and grease concoction to simulate the traditional dark skin of
the Sto. Niño, to a water-based, multi-colored paint was initiated by a group from outside
Cadiz. This revolutionized Dinagsa into one of the biggest paint parties globally, now
with a pending application to the Guinness Book of World Records.

SINIGAYAN FESTIVAL

Named after the native seashell (sigay). Shell craft art is featured during the festival.
The Sinigayan Festival is Sagay City’s way of preserving and promoting the appreciation
of our rich and beautiful heritage by showcasing the vibrant colors of our art and culture
here in the Philippines, the ingenuity and creativity of our people, and the abundance of
our seas and lands. The Sinigayan Festival in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, is held
every 19th of March. Started in 1996, this festival is the city's way of preserving the
heritage of their people. The gentle, joyful, and hardworking Sagaynon, whose name
God chose to be symbolized by this humble spherical shell which dances as it allows the
roaring waves to toss it to shore and pulls it back to the sea in ritual merrymaking.
Sinigayan Festival is an annual thanksgiving event in honor of St. Joseph, the City's
patron saint and showcasing Sagay City's rich coastal and marine resources which is
reflected in the festival where the bounties of the sea are the highlights of the said
celebration.

ABACA FESTIVAL- May 27 - 31

Formally known as Catanduanes Abaka Festival, Abaca Festival showcases the life and
resilient spirit of the Catandunganon and its culture, as well as the uniqueness and
exoticness of the island and its people. It celebrates the fiber industry and its products,
which is Catanduanes’ and Bicol’s main materials for its handicrafts. Highlights of the
festival include streetdance competition, float parade, trade fair, fashion show among
others.

MANLAMBUS FESTIVAL- May 30

Originally, the town was known as manlambus, a visayan term meaning 'to strike with a
club' because its coastal waters were then teeming with fishes that catching them could
simply be done by using a club or lambus. This progressive city is the home of
manlambus festival every 30th of may in celebration of its rich cultural heritage and
glorious past that every escalantehanon loves to share and tell. As its present dictum
goes… abante escalante, masarangan nato kini!

KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL- 3rd week of August

Every third week of August, Davao City holds the much-awaited “Kadayawan” Festival,
dubbed as the festival of festivals, known for its grand celebrations such as street
dancing, floral float parade, cultural festivities, street parties, and concerts. The
Kadayawan Festival is Davao City’s annual festival, which celebrates life and
thanksgiving for nature’s bounty, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and
serenity of living. The festival’s name is taken from the Mandaya word “Madayaw”
which means “valuable”, “good” and “beautiful.” It was said that during the olden times,
the tribes living in the foothills of Mt Apo would hold a thanksgiving feast to thank the
creator for their bountiful harvests.

Major must-watch activities in the Kadayawan include:

 Pag-Abli sa Kadayawan- This is the opening ceremony of the festival and is a

showcase of what people will expect during the festive week.
 Dula Kadayawan- This is an annual olympics of indigenous games participated by
the 11 ethnic communities.
  Habi Kadayawan- It will be a Mindanao-wide competition of indigenous-inspired
apparel and fashion accessories which will feature up-and-coming designers
alongside indigenous artisans.
 Hiyas ng Kadayawan - An annual search for that distinctive indigenous young
lady who is knowledgeable of her native culture and wisdom through a pageantry
of Mindanaoan myths and legends.
 Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan - A street dancing competition with entries making
their way along the city’s main thoroughfares.
 Pamulak sa Kadalanan - The floral float parade is where floats adorned with
flowers, fruits and indigenous accessories takes center stage using the same route
as Indak-Indak.
 Bantawan Cultural Celebration - Will feature songs and dances of the 11
ethnolinguistic groups.

TUNA FESTIVAL- September 1

The Tuna Festival is held annually in General Santos, the “tuna capital of the
Philippines”. The street parade is a celebration of the fishing industry and the people of
the city. It also pays homage to the fish's cultural importance in the Philippines as a staple
ingredient in many dishes. The Tuna Festival is normally opened by the colorful Tuna
Float parade and Parada sa Dagat with festive and ocean-themed floats that depict the
richness of the city’s culture. The locals dance with lively and vibrant music showcasing
the province’s bountiful catch and their energetic performances. After enjoying the
delightful street dances, the Sugbahan Sa Dalan is done as a long line of grilled tuna is
displayed within the streets.
Tuna Festival will surely remind you of the bountiful richness and high biodiversity of
the Philippines’ Sea. It is also an excellent moment to socialize and learn more about the
culture of the local fishermen in their daily experiences of the sea-coast. It is essential to
enjoy and relax as this festivity will bring out the inner sea spirit of you.

MASSKARA FESTIVAL- 4th sunday of October

The MassKara Festival of Bacolod City is one the biggest festivals in the Philippines. The
festival has been giving local and international visitors the chance to have fun, drink, and
party on the streets of Bacolod for over 30 years now.
This annual festival, which is similar to Brazil’s Rio Carnival, literally translates to
“many faces,” and is celebrated every October in Bacolod. Because of the smiling faces
of the mask, Bacolod City got the nickname of The City of Smiles. MassKara Festival
was conceived to address the suffering of the people and as an expression of hope,
optimism, and resilience amidst challenging times. Over the years, it has become the
centerpiece of tourism industry of the city.
Masskara symbolizes the resilience of the people of Bacolod in the face of adversity.
They chose to respond to tough times with joy, creativity, and unity. Masked dances: The
highlight of the festival is the street dance competition where participants wear colorful
masks. The term Masskara is created from two words: mass, meaning crowd, and the
Spanish word cara, for face; thus, the double meaning for "mask" and "many faces".

PINTAFLORES FESTIVAL- November 3-5

The Pintaflores Festival is celebrated every November in the beautiful city of San Carlos,
Negros Occidental. The grand event’s name intrigues many travelers. The festival’s name
is unique, one that piques the interest of many a traveler. This name is a derivation of the
Spanish word ‘pinta’ which loosely translates to tattoos and ‘flores’ which means flowers.
This festival, in essence, is all about a fusion of arts and nature, making for a very
interesting theme. To celebrate the regained strength and health of the princess, people
rejoiced and celebrated the news. Since that day, people decided to make a tradition out
of it where the ladies in the barrio would wear colorful and flowery gowns to honor and
portray Princess Nabingka. The festival’s name is unique, one that piques the interest of
many a traveler. This name is a derivation of the Spanish word ‘pinta’ which loosely
translates to tattoos and ‘flores’ which means flowers. This festival, in essence, is all
about a fusion of arts and nature, making for a very interesting theme.

This is one of the best, happiest and exciting festivals in San Carlos City, Negros
Occidental.

GROUP 3
BPED 2A
LEADER:
JANCEE ANN DELA CRUZ
MEMBERS:
CHISKA LIPA
KOBE BRIAN OQUINO
GENEVEV KANGKEE
MIKE RYAN DORONA