6 TOP FESTIVALS IN NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
I think most Filipinos love Festivals. Every Province, City, and many Barangays are celebrating a festival. Herewith, are my favorite festivals in the Province of Negros Occidental. The list does not include Negros Panaad Festival which is known as the Mother of All Festivals in Negros. Feel free to comment and indicate your own town’s festival on the list.
- MASSKARA FESTIVAL (BACOLOD CITY)
Top on My List is the world-renowned Masskara Festival 2012 “It’s Showtime Time’s” Champion for Inter-town Edition.
The word “Masskara” is a portmanteau, coined by the late artist Ely Santiago from mass (a multitude of people), and the Spanish word cara (face), thus forming MassKara (a variety of faces). The prominent feature of the festival are the masks worn by participants, which are always adorned with smiling faces.
The happy mask, which is the symbol of the festival is a symbol of the cheerful disposition of the Negrenses despite experiencing bad times in the sugar industry.
How to Get to Bacolod
From Manila, you can fly to Bacolod. From Bacolod-Silay Airport, you can get hold of a shuttle (PHP 150/head), or a cab (minimum of PHP 500) and ask to be shed off at your address.
- PASALAMAT FESTIVAL (LA CARLOTA CITY)
Pasalamat Festival is one of the most colorful festivals in the province of Negros. “Pasalamat,” a Hiligaynon term for “Thanksgiving,” brings together the La Carloteños in unity and thanksgiving to God for the bountiful harvests and the blessings of life.
Pasalamat Festival ’s unique, original Sambita beat, played by its very own drum beaters using percussion instruments create distinction for the fete.
The Pasalamat danceable beat was composed by its former mayor, Luis Jalandoni Jr., Himself a bongo drum player. He also made indigenous percussion instruments from bamboo, drums from cowhide, and Agogo bells.
How to Get There
La Carlota City, Negros Occidental is approximately a one-hour drive from Bacolod by private car and a little more than an hour in public utility jeepneys and buses via the main highway. The place can also be reached via the interior barangays of Bago City in about 40 to 50 minutes.
- PINTAFLOREZ (SAN CARLOS CITY)
Held every 3-5 of November, the Pintaflores was born out of the people’s search for cultural identity and tradition.
Coined from the words Pintados, Pinta Flores is the concept behind the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival, and the “Flores,” the Spanish word for flowers that dominated the theme of the Dances of Flowers.
After the successful holding two events in 1992, the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival and the Dances of Flowers as highlights of the city fiesta, the idea of blending the two concepts to come up with a presentation that could be considered the beginning of Pintaflores Festival.
Pintaflores features street dancing by “tribes” dressed in colorful ethnic-inspired costumes, their bodies painted with flower designs reminiscent of the tattooed Visayans of pre-Spanish Negros.
How to Get There
San Carlos City can be reached in approximately by bus in two hours through the Negros Trans link Eco-tourism Highway and four hours through the coastal highway. With its natural deep harbor protected by the Sipaway Island from storm surges, San Carlos is also an ideal gateway to Cebu with fast crafts reaching Toledo in an hour. Ro-ro vessels are also available to accommodate vehicles to and from Toledo City.
From Bacolod City, you can reach San Carlos City, Negros Occidental through a bus (Ceres Liner).
- BAILES DE LUCES (LA CASTELLANA)
The Grand Finalist last 2012 of a local TV noontime show “IT’S SHOWTIME!”
“Bailes de Luces” is a Spanish phrase means “Dances of Lights” in which it is a celebration of hope and thanksgiving for the people of La Castellana.
Bailes de Luces Festival is one of the most awaited events in the province of Negros Occidental. The celebration starts on the 30th day of December and ends on the 5th day of January every year is being celebrated with dances, parades, and other events. The uniqueness of their festival is that they held their events during night time. During the first day of the celebration, they have night parades in an array of floats accompanied by street dancing and lights.
How to get there
La Castellana is approximately one-and-a-half hour’s drive from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental using public utility vehicles and about an hour by private car. Jeepneys and buses are available at the Bacolod South Terminal.
- BACALOADIAT FESTIVAL (BACOLOD)
One of the newest, yet now a significant festival major festival in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. Bacalaodiat Festival which is being celebrated every spring as a way to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Bacalaodiat Festival includes Lantern Parade, Lion Dance, Street Dancing Competition, Fireworks Display, and the Chopstick Alley that showcases both Filipino and Chinese Food.
The word Bacalaodiat was derived from the words Bacolod and Lao diat which is a Fookien word for Sinadya (Ilonggo) meaning big celebration.
6.SINULOG DE KABANKALAN (KABANKALAN CITY)
Celebrated every third week of January, the Sinulog de Kabankalan is the City’s version of the world-famous “Ati-Atihan.”
Warrior/ Dancers in distinctively colorful costumes with bare bodies painted in black soot take to the streets, dancing to the riotous and frenzied beats of drums, in celebration of the feast of El Señor Sto. Niño.
How to Get There
From Manila, you can fly to Bacolod/Silay Airport. From Bacolod, ride a bus to the city’s south terminal. Kabankalan is 92.6 kilometers away and a 2-hour drive south of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
Wow, I love looking at your photos at really represented the joy of the moment. I wish to attend those kinds of festivities next year. So far, we’ve only attended local ones and it was great!
Wow, I love looking at your photos at really represented the joy of the moment. I wish to attend those kinds of festivities next year. So far, we’ve only attended local ones and it was great!
Mellie, feel free to message whenever your in Bacolod/Negros. I can recommend more spots to visit 🙂
I’d love to watch the different festivals in Negros especially the Masskara festival since it’s really among the top festivals in the country.
I have never been in Bacolod lately, will definitely go there once I have a chance again!
I have only been to Bacolod once. I found the place very interesting although I wasn’t able to explore as much as I wanted. I’ve also never witnessed any of their festivals. So I really must go back soon.
We’re going to Bacolod this Christmas vacation. These festivals look so colorful!
Nowt that’s a lot of festival. I am more curious on the MASSKARA FESTIVAL.
Really informative post. It was great to know about all the festivals and their details.
It was great to know about all the festivals that would be informative to the readers.
Visiting all of the major festivals in the Philippines is on my bucket list. I’ve never been to Negros, and these are 6 more reasons for me to plan a trip!
i have never been to Negros but i’m always amazed with all the festivities in our country, we also have many here in naga.
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Here in our province in which is Negros there are lot of festivals that you can experience so try to visit our place,especially San Carlos city because this coming November 5 we will having our festival in which is PINTA FLORES FESTIVAL
Thanx Kenneth. Hope we can visit San Carlos this year