Philippine Festivals for the month of May

LIST OF COLORFUL PHILIPPINE FESTIVALS FOR MAY

Philippine Festivals are held almost every week in the different parts of the country. Philippine Festivals can be religious, cultural, or both. Some of these festivals are held in honor of Roman Catholic’s patron saint; to celebrate a local history; to promote the community’s products, or as a thanksgiving for a bountiful crop.

I have listed below a list of colorful Philippine Festivals for May.

AGAWAM SA SARIAYA. Held every second week of May in  Sariaya, Quezon. Agawam sa Sariaya is a thanksgiving celebration for the good harvest and abundance of agricultural production.

ALIWAN GRAND FIESTA. A grand gathering of the Philippine Festivals. Ther  Aliwan Festival is held every month May at  Star City, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila. A three-day event that will highlight the country’s 16 regions at their best with the largest carnival-style parade. Significant highlights of Aliwan Festival are the festival, float and fireworks competitions. It will also feature nightly concerts of the country’s best performers and biggest market with products and food from the 16 regions.

ANTIPOLO PILGRIMAGE. Held every May 01-31 in Antipolo, Rizal.T he Antipolo Pilgrimage is an old tradition of the devotees of Our Lady of Good Voyage who make the long pilgrimage on foot from Manila to Antipolo.

Baguio City’s Panagbenga would always participate in Aliwan Festival

BAWANG (GARLIC) FESTIVAL. Held every first week of May at Sinait, Ilocos Sur (8 hours from Manila by land). Highlights of Bawang Festival are competitions and exhibits of some of the largest garlic, most extended and most creative twined garlic bulbs.

CARABAO FESTIVAL. Celebrated  every May 14 in  Location, Angono, Rizal. During the Carabao  Festival, farmers pay tribute to their patron saints; a procession of carabao carts bearing myriad local produce is held; prizes are awarded to the most reliable and most beautifully decorated carabaos.

CARABAO-CARROZA FESTIVAL. Held every  May 03  in  Pavia, Iloilo. The Carabao-Carroza Festival features a parade of gaily decorated bamboo sleds and a race among carroza-pulling carabaos on a 400-meter course.

DAVAO GULF REGATTA. Held every first week of May in Davao Oriental.Highlights of the festival include a  float parade competition featuring decorated bancas and vintas of different designs.

LUBI-LUBI FESTIVAL. Held every May 22  at  Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, A cultural presentation using parts of the coconut palm and other indigenous materials as props and costumes.

MALAKAWAN “PINYA” FESTIVAL. Held every first or second week of  May in  Calauan, Laguna. The Malakawan Pinya Festival aimed at promoting the juicy and sweetest pineapple or “pinya” as the primary agricultural product of the town of Calauan.

MAYOHAN SA TAYABAS. Held every 1^st or second week of May in  Tayabas, Quezon. The Mayohan sa Tayabas Festival is a thanksgiving event marked with agro-trade fair and the favorite agawan ng suman in honor of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers, for the good harvest and abundance of agricultural produce.

OBANDO FESTIVAL. Held every May 17 to 19 in  Obando, Bulacan. Obando Festival is a  three-day fiesta celebration in honor of San Pascual, Baylon, Sta. Clara and Nuestra Senora de Salambao. Childless couples, thankful parents, grateful farmers, and fisherfolks dance along the streets together with   costumed women to pray for children and a good harvest

PASALAMAT FESTIVAL. Held every first week of May in  La Carlota City, Negros Occidental. The Pasalamat Festival is about Thanksgiving for the abundant harvest.

PAHIYAS FESTIVAL. Pahiyas is one of the most popular Philippine Festivals. Celebrated every May 15  in  Sariaya, Lucban, Tayabas, Quezon. During the Pahiyas Festival, homes are decked with kiping (multi-colored paper thin, leaf-shaped rice kropeck) and harvested vegetables; trade fair; civic parades, procession, and other activities.

PAHOY-PAHOY FESTIVAL. Held every May 25  in  Western Samar. Pahoy-pahoy Festivals highlights a grand parade and street dancing with participants dressed in scarecrow costumes.

PG’SALABOK FESTIVAL/LINGGO NG DIPOLOG. Celebrated every May 20-25 in  Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte. The Pg’salabok festival is a weeklong festival which culminates with colorful ethnic-inspired street dancing.

Photo Credits: Judgefloro (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

PULILAN CARABAO FESTIVAL. One of the most exciting  Philippine Festivals is the Pulilan Carabao Festival. Held every May 14  at Pulilan, Bulacan, the Pulilan Carabao Festival features oiled, perfumed carabaos paying homage to Pulilan’s patron saint by kneeling in front of his statue.

PISTA’Y DAYAT.  Celebrated every   May 1 at  Lingayen, Pangasinan. Pista’s Dayat is a day of thanksgiving for bountiful harvests, and abundant fishing observed all over Pangasinan traditional with a mass offering on beautiful beaches and fluvial parade.

SANTACRUZAN. Celebrated for the whole month of May, nationwide.  The Santacruzan is a procession commemorating St. Helena’s finding the “True Cross”; preceded by a nine-day Novena in honor of the Holy Cross. On a ninth day, usually on the weekend, the Santacruzan is held. The Reina Elena, accompanied by a little boy representing King Constantine, and the other sagalas representing biblical characters and the attributes of the Blessed Virgin, walk under gaily decorated arches.

TAPUSAN SA KAWIT.Held every May 30 in  Kawit, Cavite. Tapusan sa Kawit is a procession of gaily decorated floats decked with flowers of Maytime honors the Blessed Virgin. The participation of the town’s most beautiful young ladies symbolizes the purity and innocence of the Blessed Mother.

VIVA VIGAN FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS. Held every 1st week of May in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The Viva Vigan Festival of the Arts is a festival in a setting repletes with history, heritage, and cultural treasures.