Dinagyang Festival

The Bangus Festival is an annual celebration in the city of Dagupan. It highlights

the city’s rich milk fish aquaculture industry in the province of Pangasinan and in
the country.

The city of Dagupan is an independent component city created by virtue of

Republic Act No 170 signed by President Manuel Roxas on June 20, 1947.

The city’s name was derived from the local dialect word “pandaragupan”
meaning a gathering since the city has been for centuries the regional market
center in particular the Ilocos Region or Region 1.

Sinulog Festival

A woman during the Sinulog Festival (photo by George Parrilla)

Every third Sunday of January, Cebu City celebrates Santo Niño with Sinulog
Festival. During the highlight of the festival, the streets are filled with energetic
street dancers performing the traditional Sinulog dance wearing an intricate and
colorful costumes.
Kadayawan Festival

Kadayawan Street Dancers

Kadayawan takes place in Davao and is a celebrated during the month of

August with various events including ethnic dance demonstrations and
competitions as well as a trade fair and exhibit. It’s a harvest celebration and is
one of the most cheerful festivals in the Philippines.

Pahiyas Festival

Lucban Pahiyas Festival

On May 15 every year, Lucban in Quezon celebrates Pahiyas Festival in honor of

San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. Fresh fruits and vegetables are
set out on houses and buildings as decorations. The decorations are judged and
the best is given awards and prizes.

Ati-Atihan Festival
 Ati-Atihan Festival (photo by
Wikipedia)

Another January festival, Ati-Atihan is

the annual tribute to the baby Jesus in
Kalibo, Aklan. A celebratory display of
costumes, weapons, music, and dance is
meant to celebrate the Santo Niño. The
festival has inspired many other
Philippine Festivals including the Sinulog
Festival of Cebu and Dinagyang of Iloilo,
both adaptations of the Kalibo Ati-Atihan
Festival.

Dinagyang Festival

Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City

On the fourth Sunday every January in Iloilo City, Dinagyang Festival is another
celebration of Jesus that includes a huge feast and a mascot called Dagoy who
represents the traditional Aeta people of the islands. The Dinagyang is divided
into three Major events: Ati-Ati Street Dancing, Kasadyahan Street Dancing and
Miss Dinagyang.

Masskara Festival
Incredible costumes and days of celebrations are typical of Masskara festival in
Bacolod City. It’s a giant masquerade party and one of the most fun and most
widely known festivals of the Philippines. It’s held in the third week of October,
on or around Oct 19th. The festival features a street dance competition where
people from all walks of life troop to the streets to see colorfully masked
dancers gyrating to the rhythm of Latin musical beats in a display of mastery,
gaiety, coordination and stamina.

Masskara Festival
Performer

Major activities include the MassKara Queen beauty pageant, carnivals, drum
and bugle corps competitions, food festivals, sports events, musical concerts,
agriculture-trade fairs, garden shows, and other special events organized ad-
hoc every year.

Panagbenga Festival

Panagbenga Flower Festival

Also known as the Flower Festival, this beautiful and celebratory event
embodies many of the best things about the Philippines. Celebrating people
dressed in beautiful, colorful, elaborate flower themed costumes. Baguio City
turns into one big party during February each year for Panagbenga Festival.
Moriones Festival

Marinduque Moriones Festival

Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday is

celebrated in Marinduque with intricate Roman
soldier costumes called Moriones. The wearers are
both celebrated and a symbol of the self-cleansing
of this time of year. They play tricks and cause
trouble and their real identities are unknown. A
huge search for Longino is undertaken on Easter
Sunday and is sacrificed after being caught a third
time. The drama is is engaging and the crowd is
involved, making this one of the most unique
festivals in the country.

Higantes Festival

Higantes Festival (by IvanLakwatsero.com)

In Angono in Rizal, the Higantes Festival is another incredible example of the

devotion and dedication that Filipinos put into their festivals. The Higantes, or
giants, are huge paper mache people that can be as tall as 12 feet high and
about five feet in diameter. It’s held on November 23rd and celebrates the
patron saint of fishermen, San Clemente.

These are the 10 Most Popular Festivals in the Philippines. But there are more
that you can learn about and attend if you want to experience the fun and
drama of festivals in the Philippines.