13 of the Philippines Most Awaited Modern and Traditional Festivities

Yearly Celebrations and Festivities are part of the Filipino Tradition. In every town or city in the country a one community celebrate they danced, sing, invite people on their homes to eat and play games on the street. Both modern and traditional festivals are being celebrated in various ways in the country with the purpose to honor saints, to showcase their creativity, their meaningful and colorful origin.

The following are some of the most notable and biggest celebrations in the country every year:

1. Hot Air Balloon Festival

The Lubao International Balloon and Music Festival is a yearly event at the Pradera Verde, Prado Siongco, Lubao, Pampanga.that features hundred of hot air balloons in different colors, sizes and shapes from different companies, individuals and other countries. The event lasts for 3-4 days.

2. Oktoberfest

Is a yearly event organized by one of the country’s largest beer manufacturer San Miguel Corporation. San Miguel Oktoberfest visits the different parts of the country for the whole month of October to celebrate music and beer with live band performances, Party DJs and talented performers to fill the night with fun and music.

3. Dinagyang Festival

Is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City in every fourth Sunday of January, a celebration to honor the Sto. Nino. The Festival is divided into three major events the Ali Tribe Competition, Kasadyahan Cultural Competition and the Miss Iloilo Dinagyang.

4. Sinulog

The Sinulog Festival in Cebu is one of the most colorful and grandest festivals in the Philippines. In every 3^rd Sunday of January a very long parade with people dressed in colorful costumes are on the streets dancing the Sinulog- a traditional and ritual dance in honor of Sto.Nino accompanied with the sound of drums.

5. Ati- Atihan

Ati Atihan is another festival to honor the Sto. Nino celebrated in the 3^rd week of January, people paint their faces in many different ways and dressed in most exceptional costumes dancing in the beat of drums in Kalibo, Aklan.

6. Pahiyas

Pahiyas Festival in Lucban , Quezon Province is celebrated in every 15^th of May in honor of San Isidro Labrador. The said festival are farmer’s thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest with a grand display of colorful rice wafers, fruits, vegetables and handicrafts ornamented every house in the town.

7. Cutud Crucifixions

San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites or Cutud Crucifixions is a re-enactment of Christ’s Passion and Death during the Holy week in Barangay San Pedro Cutud San Fernando, Pampanga. Flagellants and other devotees commemorate Christ’s suffering and even the nailing in the cross as part of their penitence. In the Philippines, especially in Pampanga it is a yearly tradition and part of their observance through the holiday.

8. Masskara

In Bacolod City, Masskara Festival is being celebrated from October 1-20. In 20 days local and foreign visitors enjoys drinking, dining and street dancing. Originally for the purpose to show the hardships of the people of Negros now it is a way to generate revenue for big businesses and a tool of escapism. During the celebration people wear colorful mask in the parade, a smiling mask, is the symbol of Fiesta to show the happy spirit of the people of Negros despite experiencing bad times in the sugar manufacturing industry.

9. Panagbenga

Is a month long Blooming Flower Festival in Baguio City during the month of February, it is a tribute to the City’s flowers and to commemorate from the devastation they’d been through on the 1990 Luzon Earthquake. The festival features floats that are covered with flowers, street dancing where dancers wear flower- inspired costumes and an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the Cordillera Region. The festival also help the younger generation of indigenous people to rediscover their culture’s old traditions.

10. Kadayawan

Kadayawan is a celebration of life, thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, bountiful harvest and serenity of living in the third week of August. Their celebration features floats of fresh flowers and fruits and indak-indak sa kadalanan or the street dancing in colorful costumes. The streets are decorated with local fruit and vegetables while the harbor is the venue for native and power boat races.

11. Feast of the Black Nazarene

In Quiapo Manila on every 9^th of January, a life sized statue of Christ called the Black Nazarene is being carried by barefoot men while yelling “Viva Senor!” through the streets of Quiapo. Devotees believe that touching the Black Nazarene helps them heal from illnesses and Catholics from different parts of the country come hoping for a chance to get close to the Black Nazarene and witness miracle. Since the procession is crowded other devotees throw their towels on the guards to wipe it in the image and throw it back to the devotees.

12. Moriones

Moriones is another traditional festival during the Holy Week in the island of Marinduque. The festival is a folk-religious event; Moriones refers to the local people who dressed in costumes and masks like a Roman Soldiers in the Bible, these are farmers and fishermen who engaged themselves in street theater as a form of penitence. For a week long from Holy Monday- Easter Sunday the masked and costumed Moriones are loitering around the town to scare children and reenact the search for Longinus.

13. Feast of St. John the Baptist

In every June 23rd of the year Filipinos are celebrating the feast Day of St. John the Baptist in various ways, cities and provinces. In San Juan City where St. John the Baptist is their patron saint,and on the other parts of the country, passengers and devotees are splashing waters towards one another which represents baptism as part of the celebration. Meanwhile in Nueva Ecija, people disguised themselves as taong putik (mud people) by covering themselves with mud and wearing costumes made from dried banana leaves. People walked from the rice fields to the church wearing their costumes and attend mass mostly farmers participates in this ritual seeking for blessings and bountiful harvests.

The Philippine festivals are the reflection of the colorful and meaningful origin of the place, also a tool to show the creativity of the people and an observance to thank Christ for a bountiful and prosperous life. More destinations with colorful festivals at Panoramictrip.