Festivals in Luzon

The Pahiyas Festival

Held on May 15 of every year, the Pahiyas Festival is carried out to give thanks
to San Isidro Labrador for the good harvest. It is one of the country’s oldest festivals
tracing its origin way back to the 16th century. Back then, farmers bought food to the
foot of Mt. Banahaw as a sign of Thanksgiving, but eventually this tradition — done in
the hopes of having a good harvest year — was modified to make the church the central
offering place. The Pahiyas is commonly associated with Lucban, Quezon, but it is also
celebrated in two other Quezon towns: Sariaya and Tayabas.

Panagbenga Festival

It used to be that February was Baguio City’s least favorable month, experiencing a doldrum
in the number of visitor arrivals that usually peak in December (for the holiday season) and March or
April (for the Lenten Season), on top of the summer months. However, with the introduction of the
Panagbenga Festival, February became a time of pageantry, fun and merrymaking in Baguio City as
the city becomes covered with the most beautiful flowers in the region. Together with its blooms,
Panagbenga also showcases the different cultures of its 11 tribes such as the Igorots and the
Ibalois. In fact, the street dance of the Panagbenga features dances that are inspired by these cultural
tribes.
 Fertility Dance at Obando

Couples who wish to have a child flock to Obando, Bulacan, and every May 17 to
19 to join the street dance in Honor of Santa Clara. The street dancing is said to be a
prayer made by the couple. The belief stems from early practice and is said to be
effective, as some have been miraculously blessed with an offspring soon after they
joined the dancing. Why you should be there: The benefits are obvious if you are
childless, but for other people, the Obando dance is only one of the very few religious
Luzon festivals that featured street dancing on a major part of the area.

Bangus Festival

Dagupan is known as the Bangus Capital of the Philippines, and the City lays its
claim to this by holding the Bangus Festival for 19 days in April, culminating on April 28.
The bangus, or milkfish, festival pays tribute to the City’s biggest industry and features
various activities that center on the fish. From deboning to eating, from the longest to
the heaviest and even to the most beautiful, each year attempts to put out a record with
its bangus competitions. Why you should be there: Aside from being there while the City
or its citizens bag a possible Guinness World Record, the festival also features street
dancing contests, the search for the Bangus Queen (a beauty pageant), fluvial parades,
and a citywide sale for the shopaholics on a budget!
 Pagoda sa Wawa

Festivals are a time for celebration, but it is also a time for food. Bocaue, Bulacan’s
Pagoda sa Wawa combines both. The river festival is held every July, when a barge
carrying a huge decorated float is released along the Bocaue River. This is where dozens
and possibly hundreds of people partake on good food and great music. The floating
feast actually commemorates Wawa’s Holy Cross, which was first found floating on the
Bocaue River. Why you should be there: Experience a one-of-a-kind river feast. After a
tragedy left dozens of people dead a few years ago, the Wawa festival has been closely
scrutinized to ensure the safety of future pagoda riders.

Higantes Festival

Angono’s joyous fiesta in honor of San Clemente whose image, resplendent in papal
investment, is borne by male devotees during a procession accompanied by
parehadoras devotees dressed in colorful local costumes, wooden shoes and carrying
boat paddles and higantes, giant paper mache effigies. The street event culminates in
fluvial procession at the Laguna de Bay amidst revelry that continues until the image is
brought back to its sanctuary.
 Bacao Festival

Bacao Festival (English: Corn Festival) is a week-long annual corn festival

occurring in town of Echague Isabela, the Queen Town of Isabela Province. The term
“Bacao” is of Yogad origin, meaning “corn”. The festival, held during the month of
March from (15 to 19), was created as a tribute to the town’s corn and as a way to
give thanks of the town’s fruitful harvest. March is the harvesting season of corn in the
region. In 2003, Echague began its Bacao Festival in celebration of the feast day of
Saint Joseph the Worker, in honor of Patron Saint of Echague. The festival attracts
over thousands of visitors from all over Isabela and other neighboring provinces.The
event also features motocross racing, longest corn grilling, and others. The festival
includes banners that are decorated using different parts of the corn plant like corn and
corn leaves. The festival also includes street dancing, presented by dancers clad in
corn-inspired costumes, that are presented by different institutions governed by the
town of Echague. Among these participants are coming from the Academic Institutions
(College, High School and Elementary Students), Local Government Unit, Philippine
Army, Private Sectors and other commercial establishments.