Ati-Atihan Festival (January 15-21)

Take in the colorful sights and sounds of

this year’s Ati-atihan festival in Aklan.
(Photo by Frolova_Elena from
Shutterstock)
There’s a reason why the Ati-Atihan
Festival is the “mother of all Philippine
festivals.” Iloilo’s Dingayang Festival and
Cebu’s Sinulog took their inspiration from
this Kalibo celebration. The Ati-Atihan
festival is held annually every third Sunday
of January to honor the Santo Niño (infant Jesus).

Festival Tidbits

 While it celebrates the Santo Niño now, the Ati-Atihan Festival was previously a
pagan festival meant to celebrate the anitos.
 The 2018 celebration will feature “Never-ending Snake Dancing” (people
weaving like a snake) at Magsaysay Park.
 Ati-Atihan translates to “be like the Atis.” The Atis or Aetas were the original
settlers of Panay, where the province of Aklan is located.

How to Get There

 By plane: You can book a ticket to Kalibo in advance online. From the Kalibo
International Airport, you can hire a tricycle to take you to the town center or your
hotel.
 By boat/ferry: You can also opt to ride one of the Roll-on and Roll-off (RoRo)
ships that dock at the Caticlan Jetty Port, Dumaguit Port and the New
Washington Port. Tricycles-for-hire are available at any of these ports to help you
get around town.
 By land transportation: If you book a flight going to Caticlan, you can either
celebrate the festival in Boracay or you can ride a bus or a van going to Kalibo,
where the main celebrations will be held. The ride from Caticlan to Kalibo usually
takes an hour and a half and will cost you around 200 pesos.
Sinulog Festival (January 21-28)

This famous Philippine festival

lures in tourists from all over the
world. (Photo by Constantine
Agustin from Flickr)
The Sinulog Festival in Cebu City
is one of the country’s most
famous festivals. It is marked by a
very long parade by different
participating groups in different
colorful costumes, dancing in
honor of the Santo Nino.

Festival Tidbits

 The word “sinulog” roughly translates to “like the water current,” and is actually
the name of the step that the dancers perform.
 Aside from the street dancing, the Sinulog Festival has also grown to include a
fluvial parade, a choral competition, and a beauty pageant.
 While it is a Cebu-based festival, participants in the street dance competition
come from all over the country.

How to Get There

 By plane: Cebu is known as one of the most accessible cities in the country. You
can book affordable flights from Manila to Cebu. Make sure to book a hotel in
advance since hotels in Cebu City can be fully booked during the Sinulog
Festival.
 By boat/ferry: Roll-on and Roll-off (RoRo) bus and ferry transports also have
routes from Manila to Cebu. This a cheaper alternative to flying as the fare is only
below 1000 pesos.
 By land transportation: You can choose from jeepneys, buses, taxis, or
tricycles to get around the city proper and the surrounding towns.

Dinagyang Festival (January 26-28)

 As part of the celebration, Ati
tribe warrior dancers move and
chant to the sound of loud
drums. (Photo by Frolova_Elena
from Shutterstock)
The 2018 staging of Iloilo’s
Dinagyang Festival is set to be a
special one as it is the 50th
anniversary of the festival. Just
like the Sinulog and Ati-Atihan
Festivals, the festivities are all in
honor of the Santo Niño. It’s also
an award-winning festival, voted multiple times by the Association of Tourism Officers in
the Philippines as the country’s best tourism event.

Festival Tidbits

 The first few stagings of the Dinagyang Festival were confined to Iloilo’s San
Jose Parish.
 Aside from the recognition from the Association of Tourism Officers in the
Philippines, the Dinagyang Festival has been recognized by the Asian
Development Bank as Best Practice on government, private sector & NGO
cooperatives.
 The Dinagyang Festival has an official mascot named Dagoy, a friendly Aeta kid-
mascot who stands 6’9”.

How to Get There

 By plane: There are direct flights from Manila to Iloilo. Almost all venues used
during the Dinagyang Festival are just minutes away from the Iloilo airport.
 By boat/ferry: For those who prefer to travel on a budget, ferries to Iloilo from
Manila are also available.
 By land transportation: You’ll find bus terminals to Iloilo in Cubao and Pasay in
 Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival (February 8-11)

Wake up early to catch the hot air balloons lift off during sunrise.
The Philippine Hot Air
Balloon Fiesta in Clark,
Pampanga is usually
held on a weekend
showcasing attractions
like the hot air balloons,
skydiving and some
military aircraft drills.

Festival Tidbits

 There will be
aerobatic and off-road
driving exhibitions.
 The Fiesta Fly
Market within the venue has a variety of shops, food and beverage for visitors.
You can also buy souvenirs here.
 The climax of the festival is the Hot Air Balloon show that takes place during
sunrise and sunset.

How to Get There

 By plane: For a more convenient travel, you can opt for chartered flights to Clark
International Airport.
 By land transportation: You can take public buses bound for Dau, Pampanga
from Metro Manila terminals in Pasay and Cubao. The bus fare costs around 130
to 150 pesos. Once you arrive at the terminal in Dau, you can walk towards the
main highway (near SM City Clark) and Bayanihan Park Terminal. Bayanihan
Park Terminal is where the jeepneys going to the Balloon Fiesta can be found.

Panagbenga Festival (February 1 – March 6)

 Filipinos flock to
Baguio to get a
glimpse of the
beautiful Panagbenga
festival parade.
If you’ve always loved
flowers, then the
Panagbenga Festival
is the celebration for
you. Held from
February until the first
Sunday of March, the
festival features
gorgeous floats made
from different blooms. Aside from that highlight, the festival also features trade fairs,
bazaars, and street dancing.

Festival Tidbits

 “Panagbenga” is a Kankaney term that translates to “a season of blossoming, a

time for flowering.”
 The Panagbenga 2017 parade drew around 2 million people to Baguio.
 While it’s hard to imagine Baguio without Panagbenga, the festival is actually a
recent creation. It was started in the 90s as a way to recover from the
devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake.

How to Get There

 By land transportation: Victory Liner and Genesis Bus provide 24-hour service.
The bus fare is between P450 to P700 for a 6 or 7-hour journey. If you are
bringing a car along, you can take the NLEX-SCTEX route or the TPLEX route
that cuts your travel time to only 4 and half hours.

Bamboo Organ Festival (February 22-28)

 St. Joseph Parish
Church in Las Pinas
City is home to the
oldest Bamboo Organ
in the world. (Photo by
5th Generation Garcia
from Flickr)
While most festivals
involve citywide
dancing and partying,
the Bamboo Organ
Festival of Las Pinas
is an altogether
different affair. This
festival is held annually inside the St. Joseph Parish Church in Las Piñas. It is held to
celebrate the oldest bamboo pipe organ in the world.

Festival Tidbits

 More than 50 organists from here and around the world have participated in the
festival. These include award-winning organists like Spain’s Antonio Baciero, the
United States’ Jennifer Pascual, and Austria’s Martin Haselböck.
 The Las Pinas Boys’ Choir also perform during the event series.

How to Get There

 By land transportation: The Parish Church of St. Joseph is very accessible if

you are coming from Baclaran via a jeepney. If you’re coming from Cavite, you
can ride a jeepney going to Zapote. Once you’re there, you can transfer to
another jeepney going to Las Pinas town proper.

Moriones Festival (March 25-31)

 The artistically-made Morion
masks depict the various
expressions of roman
soldiers. (Photo by Aj
Madrigal from Flickr)
If you want a really
memorable Holy Week
experience, head on over to
Marinduque for the Moriones
Festival. Festival-goers
wearing morion masks can
be seen on the streets
during Holy Week. If it’s your
first time seeing one, morion masks are wooden creations meant to look like Roman
soldiers.

Festival Tidbits

 Aside from the morions, Holy Week celebrations in Marinduque also feature
flagellants like the ones in Pampanga.
 Aside from the Senakulo, the Pugutan is also a highlight of the celebrations. The
Pugutan is a play depicting the life of Longinus, whose one blind eye was healed
when blood from Christ’s side dropped on it.

How to Get There

 By boat/ferry: Another route is by ferry from Manila to Balacanan Port

Marinduque or Dalahican Port. Both ports can be very crowded during the
festival season so make sure to come as early as Holy Tuesday to avoid the
hassle.
 By land transportation: For a cheaper and more convenient trip, try booking a
bus ticket early at Jac Liner. They have daily trips to Marinduque from Manila and
the fare is only around 800 to 900 pesos.
Bangus Festival (April 6-30)

The delicious Bangus or

Milkfish is celebrated yearly
in Dagupan to promote the
city as the Bangus capital of
the Philippines.
The milkfish — bangus in
Filipino — is the country’s
national fish, so it’s not
surprising that it has got a
festival of it’s own. The
Bangus Festival is held
yearly on April in Dagupan
City. It promotes Dagupan
as the bangus capital of the country.

Festival Tidbits

 The festival started in 2002, and has evolved to become a two-week socio-
economic program of activities highlighting bangus.
 The city won a Guinness Book of World Records recognition for organizing the
longest barbecue in 2003.
 A grand parade is part of the celebration wherein participants wear a bangus
costume, dancing and cheering with the crowd.

How to Get There

 By land transportation: Some of the bus lines with routes going to Dagupan
include Five Star and Victory Liner, which both have terminals in Cubao and
Pasay. The travel time from Manila to Dagupan is 4-5 hours via the North Luzon
Expressway and TPLEX and the bus fare will cost you around 350 to 400 pesos.
Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival (June 29)
Previously two separate festivals, the Pintados and Kasadyaan Festival have joined
together to become the “Festival of Festivals.” The Spanish called the indigenous
Cebuano people Pintados because their bodies were heavily tattooed. Kasadyaan, on
the other hand, is the Visayan word for merriment. Just like the Ati-Atihan, Dingayang,
and Sinulog festivals, the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival celebrates the Santo Niño.

Festival Tidbits

 As the “Festival of Festivals”, the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival has also brought

together the various festivals of the towns of Leyte. These festivals include the
Buyogan Festival of Abuyog, Tanauan’s Pasaka Festival and Lingganay Festival
of Alang-alang.

How to Get There

 By plane: For a convenient trip, take an hour and a half flight from Manila to
Tacloban.
 By boat/ferry: You can also take a 24-hour RoRo (roll-on and roll-off) bus and
ferry ride if you feel like roughing it out and seeing the sights. This cheaper
alternative to flying will definitely save you money.

Pahiyas Festival (May 15)

The colorful food displays are sure to

get your mouth watering.
Philippine festivals are always
colorful, and the Pahiyas Festival is
now exception. Held yearly in
Lucban, Quezon in honor of San
Isidro Labrador, the festival takes it
to another level with houses
decorated with colorful fruits,
vegetables, handicrafts and kiping, a
decoration made from rice flour.

Festival Tidbits

 While the procession is a big part of the festival, the houses are also the star of
the festival. Every house tries their best to outdo each other when it comes to
their designs.
 Higantes are also part of the procession that makes its way through the town.
How to Get There

 By land transportation: To get to Lucban, you can ride a Jac Liner Bus in the
Cubao terminal or Buendia terminal. The bus fare will cost you around 200
pesos. Just tell the conductor to drop you off at Diversion Road. Here, you’ll find
jeepneys with signboards saying Lucena that will take you to the town proper.

T’nalak Festival (July 1)

The colorful costumes worn by the

dancers highlight the woven cloth made by
the T’boli women. (Photo by Constantine
Agustin from Flickr)
Unlike some of the festivals celebrated
here in the country, the T’nalak Festival or
Tinalak Festival commemorates the
founding anniversary of South Cotabato.
The name T’nalak or Tinalak comes from
the popular piece of woven clothing worn by T’boli women.

Festival Tidbits

 The festival opens with a float and cheer dance parade that is sure to entertain.
The dancers are from the different tribal groups of Mindanao and are garbed in
their traditional clothing. It’s a colorful look into their culture./li>
 Fairs and bazaars are also part of the festival, and give you a chance to support
local industry.>

How to Get There

 By plane: The easiest way to get to South Cotabato is via a plane ride to either
General Santos City or Davao City, both of which are neighboring cities.
 By land transportation: Once you’re in General Santos City or Davao City,
you’ll find bus and jeepney terminals going to Koronadal, South Cotabato. The
bus fare can set you back from P200 to P350. The trip is about 30 minutes to 1
hour.
Kadayawan Festival (August 17-19)

Dancers celebrate good harvest for the year.

(Photo by Jeffrey Pioquinto from Flickr)
Another festival that doesn’t take its cues from
Catholic belief is Davao’s Kadayawan
Festival. The Kadayawan Festival originally
offered thanksgiving to the gods Manama and
Bulan. Nowadays, it celebrates Davao’s
bountiful harvest.

Festival Tidbits

 The Davao River Festival, a parade of colorful boats, is a must-see.

 Sayaw Mindanaw is a dance competition showcasing different tribes from Davao
City.
 The Miss Kadayawan beauty contest provides visitors a glimpse of beautiful and
talented Davaoeñas.

How to Get There

 By plane: Daily flights to Davao from Manila are available.

 By boat/ferry: If you’re up for a 3-day long commute, you can opt to take a ferry
from Manila to Cagayan de Oro. The ferry ride usually takes around two to three
days. Once you’re in Cagayan de Oro, you can take a 7-hour bus ride to Davao
City.
 By land transportation: If you’re coming from nearby towns or cities like
General Santos City and Koronadal, just ride a bus or a van going to Davao. The
travel time is usually around three to four hours. Within the city, visitors can get
around via a jeepney.

Tuna Festival (September 5)

General Santos holds yearly tuna

celebrations as the tuna capital of the
Philippines. (Photo by Constantine Agustin
from Flickr)
If there’s anything you immediately associate
with General Santos City, it’s fresh fish, tuna
on a platter. General Santos is considered
the country’s “Tuna Capital.” It’s not
surprising that they would have a tuna festival to celebrate.

Festival Tidbits

 The Tuna Congress, Tuna Fiesta Carnival, Tuna Culinary competition and Miss
GenSan pageant are some of the activities held during the festival.
 Don’t miss the “Parada sa Dagat” street dance and float parade.
 Aside from these, fun runs, dragon boat races, and skimboarding are also part of
the celebrations.

How to Get There

 By plane: Just like Davao, there are direct flights to General Santos. From the
airport, you can ride a tricycle to take you to the city center called Plaza Heneral.
 By land transportation: Nearby cities like Davao and Koronadal have bus
routes to and from General Santos city. Travel time is usually around three to
four hours. Habal-habals (motorcycles) are also used by visitors and locals to get
around.

MassKara Festival (October 1-23)

The elaborately designed masks used

in the parade highlight Bacolod as the
City of Smiles. (Photo by Jeffrey
Pioquinto from Flickr)
Bacolod City bills itself as the City of
Smiles, so it’s no surprise the MassKara
Festival celebrates this. The city is full
of locals, tourists and parade
participants wearing masks with smiling
faces during October.

Festival Tidbits

 Just like a lot of local festivals, street dancing is a particular highlight of the
MassKara Festival.
 Check out the MassKara Queen beauty pageant, the food festival, sports events
and musical concerts.

How to Get There

 By plane: Bacolod City is an hour away from Manila by plane. From the airport,
you can take a van, taxi or jeepney to get to your hotel.
  By boat/ferry: There is also a ferry from Manila to Bacolod. Both Negros
Navigation and 2Go both have Manila-Bacolod routes and the fare ranges from
1200 to 4000 pesos depending on the cabin class and the number of people.

Higantes Festival (November 22-23)

These giant paper-maches attract tourists

from all over the country and the world.
(Photo by Ting Estrella from Flickr)
This Angono, Rizal festival gets its name
from the giant paper mache effigies that are
a definite highlight of the parade. The
festival is in honor of San Clemente, the
patron saint of fishermen. The image of San
Clemente is carried by devotees during the
grand parade.

Festival Tidbits

 Higantes are 12-foot paper-mache giants. About 40 different higantes from each
barangay are showcased to attract visitors and foreign tourists to the city.
 The Higantes Festival Grand Parade is held every third Saturday of November
where people from different walks of life gather to witness participants from
different schools and barangays dancing and celebrating.

How to Get There

 By land transportation: There are jeepneys at Farmers Market in Cubao or

EDSA Crossing going to different parts of Rizal. Similarly, air-conditioned vans
are available to take you to your destination. You can also ride a bus carrying
Angono or Binangonan signboards in Quiapo, Monumento, Marikina and along
EDSA. At the LRT-2 Santolan station, there are jeepneys going to Angono.

Giant Lantern Festival (December 18 – January 1)

Every Christmas season, barangays in San

Fernando Pampanga compete by creating
large colorful lanterns. (Photo by Phil_trophy
from Flickr)
The parol is a really Filipino symbol for
Christmas, so it’s no surprise that there
would be a festival celebrating it. San
Fernando Pampanga’s Giant Lantern
Festival is a definite crowd draw, and has been going on since 1931.

Festival Tidbits

 Each barangay creates giant lanterns boasting beautiful, vibrant colors. They will
be displayed during the Grand Lantern Festival. The most beautiful parol wins a
prize.

How to Get There

 By plane: If you want a quick and hassle-free trip, you can opt to ride a
chartered flight to Clark and ride a bus, van, or jeepney going to the nearby town
of Dau.
 By land transportation: From Manila, you can also take a bus bound for Dau,
Pampanga. Victory liner, which has terminals in Cubao and Pasay, has a route to
Dau, Pampanga. The fare costs around 105 to 115 pesos but for students and
senior citizens, it costs around 75 to 85 pesos.