PHILIPPINE FESTIVALS

1. SINULOG FESTIVAL – A religious festival in the Philippines celebrated in Cebu every January.

Date: January 10 – 20, 2020

Main Highlights
Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous Image of the Santo Niño (January 18, 6am)
Sinulog Grand Parade (January 19, 9am)
Head down south to the Queen City and experience this fiesta in the Philippines that celebrates Cebu’s patron
saint— Santo Niño. Sinulog is one of the 10 examples of religious festivals in the Philippines. This is a week-long
event that is done with processions, parties, concerts, colorful and lively street dancing, irresistible drum beats,
and parades.
The word “sinulog” means “like the water current,” and is actually the name of the step that the dancers perform.

2. ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL – One-of-a-kind festival in the Philippines held in Aklan.

Date:  January 10 – 19, 2020

Main Highlights
 Parade of Tribes and Floats (January 13, 1pm)
 Ati-Atihan Street Dancing (January 17, 8am)
 Religious Procession and torch Street Dancing (January 19, 2pm)

Witness a crazy but the good kind of crazy festival dances in the Philippines when you attend the Ati-Atihan
Festival. If you plan to visit Boracay in January, you might as well watch the locals masquerading as Negritos in
colorful costumes, dancing, and chanting “Hala Bira!” in Aklan for their Ati-Atihan Festival.
Similar to Cebu’s Sinulog Festival, this event is celebrated to honor Santo Niño. Ati-Atihan Festival in Aklan is
considered to be one of the best festivals in the Philippines. This religious festivity is also one of the oldest
Philippine celebrations.
3. DINAGYANG FESTIVAL – The religious festival in the Philippines that celebrates the feast of the Santo Niño
and the pact between the Datus and locals in Iloilo City.
 Date: January 18 – 26, 2020
Main Highlights
 Floats Parade of Lights
 Festive Parade Sponsors Mardi Gras
 Dinagyang 360° Tribe Competition
Dinagyang is a Hiligaynon word that means “merrymaking.” Just like the Sinulog and Ati-Atihan Festivals,
Dinagyang is one of the religious festivals in the Philippines that celebrates the feast of the Santo Niño and the
pact between the Datus and locals.
Every 4th Sunday of January, the festival transforms the Iloilo City into a massive street party with overflowing
drinks and food. The most exciting part is that the city hosts a highly competitive street dancing contest that
features tribes, represented by the locals.

4. PAHIYAS FESTIVAL – LUCBAN, QUEZON – One of the most colorful Philippines festivals held in Lucban,
Quezon where tourists can enjoy FREE food!

Date: May 15, 2020

Main Highlights
 Early Morning Procession in honor of San Isidro Labrador
 Free food for everyone and the colorful houses decorated with Kiping
Every famous festival in the Philippines is always colorful, and Pahiyas Festival, without a doubt, is one of the
most colorful and vibrant festivals in the Philippines. You can trace Pahiyas Festival origin way back in the 15th
century. Farmers then used to offer their harvests at the foot of Mount Banahaw. 
This is an annual celebration to pay homage to San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, for a bountiful
harvest in town so it’s one of the 10 examples of religious festivals in the Philippines. Houses are decorated with
the town’s best agricultural products, mostly colorful Kipings— a traditional Filipino leaf-shaped wafer made
from glutinous rice.

5. PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL – The popular Flower Festival in the Philippines.

 Date: February 1 – March 8, 2020
Main Highlights

 Grand Street Dance Parade

 Grand Float Parade
Panagbenga is a local Kankana-ey term in Cordillera, which means “a season for blossoming.” Panagbenga
Festival is a month-long festival in Baguio. Tourists flock the city during this time to watch the Grand Float
Parade which features giant floats in different characters made of flowers. Many celebrities also perform here.
Because of these, Panagbenga has become a famous festival in the Philippines.

6. LECHON FESTIVAL – One of the most unique festivals in the Philippines where you’ll see crispy pork lechons
dressed in cool outfits.

Date: June 24, 2020

Main Highlights
 Parades of Lechon
 Water Splashing Activity
Parada ng Lechon for the Lechon Festival is held every 24th of June in honor of St. John the Baptist.
Lechon (roasted pig) is always present in special Filipino occasions, especially on fiestas. During this festival,
lechons are paraded dressed in fun characters, while the whole town is participating in a water splashing tradition.
After the whole activity, everyone can already feast on the lechons in the festival.

7. KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL – The fiesta in the Philippines celebrated in Davao City.

 Date: August 2020

Main Highlights

 Indak Indak sa Kadalanan Street Dancing

 Kadayawan Floral Parade
Parada sa Dagat
Kadayawan is a native expression in the Dabawnon tongue. It’s derived from the word “madayaw” which means
good, valuable, and superior. Dabaweños celebrate the annual Kadayawan as a thanksgiving festival and a tribute
to its indigenous people. This Philippines festival is usually held every 3rd week of August.

8. MASSKARA FESTIVAL – The Philippine festival of many faces held in Bacolod.

Date: October 2020
Main Highlights
 Electric MassKara (Bacolod’s biggest street party)
 MassKara Street Dance and Arena Competition
MassKara Festival is a very popular festival in the Philippines. MassKara is derived from the words “mass”
meaning “many” and “kara” meaning “faces,” thus, calling it the Festival of Many Faces. Many tourists visit
Bacolod in October to witness this grand Filipino cultural festival. Being known as the City of Smiles, Bacolod
parades many smiling masks worn by the locals during this festival in the Philippines. 
9. TUNA FESTIVAL – One of the fun fish festivals in the Philippines.

Date: September 2020
Main Highlights
 Tuna Float Parade
  Sugbahan sa Dalan
Aside from being the hometown of the world boxing champion, a.k.a. Pambansang Kamao, Manny Pacquiao,
General Santos City is also the premier fish producer of the Philippines. It houses the country’s 7 tuna canning
plants, thus, making it the Tuna Capital of the Philippines.
During the Tuna Festival, locals showcase the province’s bountiful catch with colorful, ocean-themed floats.
Another activity that everyone’s looking forward to is the Sugbahan sa Dalan where a long line of grills is set up
on the street and hundreds of kilos of tuna are grilled on the spot. And the best thing about this festival in the
Philippines is, everything’s FREE.

10. HIGANTES FESTIVAL – Where you can see giant paper mache do the festival dance.

Date: November 23 – 23, 2020

Main Highlights
 Higantes Parade
 Water Splashing Activity
Angono, Rizal is known as the “Art Capital of the Philippines.” Aside from this, the town is also famous for its
Higantes Festival.
Based on the Angono folklore, the “Higantes” or paper-mache giants were done by locals as a form of protest
during the Spanish colonization. Now, these paper-mache giants now play the part of one of the most unique
festivals in the Philippines.
Higantes Festival is celebrated every 4th week of November in Angono, Rizal to honor San Clemente, the town’s
patron saint.