SINULOG FESTIVAL
The Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival is an annual cultural and religious festival held on the
third Sunday of January in Cebu City, and is the centre of the Santo Niño Catholic
celebrations in the Philippines.
Did you know: Aside from the religious aspect of the festival, Sinulog is also famous for
its street parties, usually happening the night before and the night of the main festival.
The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulogwhich roughly means "like
WATERcurrent movement;" it describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog
dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the
sound of drums. The dance is categorized into Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation, and
street dancing. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional
version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by
songs in the native language
Sinulog is the ritual prayer-dance honoring Señor Santo Niño or the Child Jesus.
DINAGYANG FESTIVAL
The Dinagyang Festival is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held
on the 4th Sunday of January, or right after the Sinulog in Cebu and the Ati-Atihan
Festival in Kalibo, Aklan. Dubbed as the Queen of all Philippine Festivals,Dinagyang
was also voted as the Best Tourism event three times in a row among any other
festivals in the Philippines, it is also the most awarded festival in the country, because of
its legacy, popularity and innovation . it receives an honor and regarded as World Class
Festival.
ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL
The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held annually in January in honor of the Santo
Niño (Infant Jesus), Held on the third Sunday, in the town of Kalibo Philippines in the
island of Panay originally came from Batan, Aklan, then adopted later by some
neighboring towns. The name Ati-Atihan means "to be like Atis" or "to make believe
Atis", the local name for the Aetaaborigines who first settled in Panay Island and other
parts of the archipelago.
MORIONES FESTIVAL
The Moriones is a lenten rites held annually on Holy Week on the island
of Marinduque, Philippines. The "Moriones" are men and women in costumes and
masks replicating the garb of biblical Roman soldiers as interpreted by local folks. The
Moriones or Moryonan tradition has inspired the creation of other festivals in the
Philippines where cultural practices or folk history is turned into street festivals.
It is a colorful festival celebrated on the island of Marinduque in the Philippines. The
participants use morion masks to depict the Roman soldiers and Syrian mercenaries
within the story of the Passion of the Christ.
The Moriones festival celebrates the life of Longinus, the Roman soldier who pierced
Christ’s side during the Crucifixion.
SIRONG FESTIVAL
Sirong Festival is an ethnic mardi-gras parade. Although some other municipalities in
the province of Surigao del Sur are claiming to have this festival originated from them.
As most of this coastal towns are founded during the pre-Spanish occupation and is
both claiming the story of being attacked by the moros. Sirong festival in Cantilan is the
popular one than other festivals. Sirong is known to be a war dance between Muslims
and Christians, reflecting the Christianization of the early Cantilangnons. The Manobos
and the Mamanwas are known to be the early Cantilangnons. The Municipality
of Cantilan started the Sirong festival in 2004 days before the town fiesta.
GIANT LANTERN FESTIVAL
The Giant Lantern Festival is an annual festival held in mid-December in the City of San
Fernando in the Philippines. The festival features a competition of giant lanterns.
Because of the popularity of the festival, the city has been nicknamed the "Christmas
Capital of the Philippines".
Begins: December 15.
Significance: Celebrates the start of the Christmas season in the Philippines
End: January 2.
PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL
Panagbenga Festival (English: Flower Festival) is a month-long annual
flower occasionoccurring in pangasinan. The term is of Kankanaey origin, meaning
"season of blooming".[1] The festival, held in February, was created as a tribute to the
city's flowers and as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon
earthquake.[2] The festival includes floats that are covered mostly with flowers not
unlike those used in Pasadena's Rose Parade. The festival also includes street dancing,
presented by dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes, that is inspired by the Bendian,
an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the Cordillera region.
PINTADOS FESTIVAL
The PINTADOS FESTIVAL is a cultural-religious celebration in Tacloban based on the
body-painting traditions of the ancient tattooed “pintados” warriors. In 1986,the
Pintados Foundation, Inc. was formed by the people of Tacloban to organize this
festival in honor of Sr. Santo Niño. Years later, it was merged with the Kasadyaan
Festival which is always held on June 29.
MASSKARA FESTIVAL
The masskara festival (Hiligaynon:Pista sang MassKara, Filipino Pista ng MassKara) is
annual festival with highlights held every fourth Sunday of October in
Bacolod,Philippines. The most recent festival sites include the Bacolod Public Plaza,the
Lacson Tourism Strip and the Bacolod Government Center.
PAHIYAS FESTIVAL
Pahiyas is the harvest festival and is observed in the towns of
Lucban,Candelaria,Tayabas,Sariaya,Tiaong, and Lucena in honor of San Isidro
Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. Considered one the Philippines biggest harvest
festival,it is deeply rooted in the traditional celebration of thanksgiving for bountiful
harvests.
