Best Festivals & Events in the Philippines 2024

Every country has its own unique traditional festivals, and different festivals also reflect different local customs, which also attract tourists to experience them for themselves. The Philippines is one of the countries with the most festivals as well as some unexpected special celebrations held by local people. Visitors can not only enjoy the unique natural scenery here, but also have the opportunity to participate in local events and celebrations. For your full enjoyment of this country, the following six festivals should not be missed.

Sinulog Festival

Sinulog Festival is one of the top 10 traditional religious festivals in the Philippines. For the Philippines, a country where most of the nationals are religious, this festival can be said to be the liveliest one. Typically, this festival is usually held on the third Sunday in January every year. The year 2024 will be held on January 8. During this festival, there will be a week-long celebration in the local area.

Since the 16th century, Magellan, the navigator, gifted the people of Cebu a statue of the Holly Child when he traveled through the Philippines. This gift was deeply appreciated by the chief's wife, who even start to dance with it. After that, the custom of dancing with the image of the Holly Child was passed down and became a famous scene in the festival.

In addition to these distinctive legends of its origin, Filipinos are now celebrating the festival in a colorful way. There are large-scale activities such as street parades and river cruises. These parades include performing groups from all over the country. The local people, tourists and performers sang and danced together in the street, which was very lively. Devotees will also take part in the "Holy Walking Parade". During the period, visitors can also see fireworks shows and a wide array of street fairs. If you are lucky, you will meet internationally renowned DJs and local musicians. All kinds of float parades, national dance performances and party concerts culminate in a festive atmosphere and an experience that will make your trip worthwhile.

Lechon Festival

There are many festivals in the Philippines. One of the important reasons is that they regard many foods as one festival. The Lechon Festival is a very typical example.

This festival is held annually on June 24th in Balayan, Batangas. From the early morning of the festival day, the streets are filled with a festive atmosphere. Whole suckling pigs are skewered and roasted on the fire until golden brown. Then people decorate them and parade them around the street in the city. At the end of the day, everyone will celebrate by splashing water, and almost all nearby towns will participate in this tradition. As a tourist, you can also participate in it, and after the event, everyone sits around and eats roast suckling pigs as the grand feast come to an end.

Panagbenga Festival

Flowers are indispensable in summer in the Philippines, and Panagbenga Festival could be one of the best festivals to experience this summer atmosphere. The name "Panagbenga" comes from the phrase "panag-apog" in Kankanaey, which means "the season of blossoms". Obviously, this festival is to commemorate the flowers that bloom in summer. If you are interested in flowers, then don't miss this festival which can bring you a real visual feast.

The festival is celebrated every February and usually lasts for a month. In this month-long festival, thousands of tourists will come to Baguio to witness the flower festival. The event starts on the first Saturday in February and ends on the first Sunday in March. The approximate time in 2024 could be from 3 February to 3 March. As a month-long festival, you don't have to worry about missing out on a particular day either, as each day will have unique arrangements. These will be unique memories for you.

On the first day, there will be a spectacular opening parade here. Different from the parades held in most festivals, the parades here will include street dance competitions featuring primary school students, as well as drum and violin competitions. In addition to parades and competitions, there are excellent food, dynamic live music and gorgeous and vivid costumes. You can head over to Burnham Park to feel the local market atmosphere here, and maybe you can find something you like. The most attractive thing is the spectacular local floats. All the vehicles in the parade are decorated with flowers, where flowers are the protagonists and full of life.

MassKara Festival

Among many festivals, Bacolod, located in the western part of Negros Island in the Philippines, will hold a festival of solitary customs-Mask Carnival. The festival will be held on the fourth Sunday in October, on October 27, 2024. Every October, people in the city will wear colorful costumes and colorful "smiling face masks". Therefore, Bacolod is also known as the "City of Smiles". MassKara means many faces, which means that visitors can see many novel masks at this festival. Street vendors will also sell all kinds of masks and souvenirs. You can also personally participate in the production of masks, adding fun to the trip and leaving a souvenir for yourself.

At this celebration, you can sing and dance to passionate Latin dance music. Here, you can also follow groups of dancers through the city. You can admire the local wild traditional costumes. You can enjoy the performers shaking their skirts to powerful Latin music or beating gongs and drums. You can also enjoy the exquisite and energetic dance performances of the dancers. Even in the evening, the festive atmosphere is still high, and the activity atmosphere is even more lively. You can go to the open-air stage, drinking party and fireworks show to release yourself. Come to Bacolod and have some fun.

Pahiyas Festival

If you want to experience the pleasure of harvest, then don't miss the Pahiyas Festival in the Philippines. During the festival, you can see colorful houses as fancy as fairy tale houses decorated by local residents with grains, kiping, vegetables, fruits, and flowers. From a distance, they look like rows of buildings where elves live, and the colors are very beautiful.

At the same time, it is also a unique experience for foreign tourists to learn about the culture and lifestyle of Filipino locals. These decorative acts are actually used to commemorate the local patron saint of agriculture, San Isidro Labrador, who symbolizes the bumper harvest next year.

It is held every year on May 15 in the town of Lucban, Quezon. During the festival, local people will not only hang agricultural products as decorations around their houses but also hold activities to pick fresh agricultural products for free, so that you can easily realize fruit freedom. The activities also include the Holy Mass, the San Isidro Labrador Procession, and the Grand Parade. At that time, the most indispensable part of the festival is food. Not only the food cooked in the traditional way but also the rice leaves used to decorate the outer wall are edible, which is a unique holiday to limit delicious food!

Ati-Atihan Festival

If you plan a trip to Boracay in January, staying in Kalibo for a few days may bring you a better travel experience with the lively celebration of the Ati-Atihan Festival. Usually, the festival is held on the third Sunday of January, on 21 January 2024.

It is one of the oldest festivals in the Philippines. In the Philippines, it is also known as the largest carnival in Kalibo whose grand celebration will last for a week. On the first day, after the opening Mass, people will parade and dance to the sound of drums. The next day will start with an early morning rosary procession and end with a community mass and dance. The festive atmosphere will reach its peak on the third Sunday in January. At that time, thousands of Filipinos will have colorful painted faces, and all kinds of statues will be carried in their hands.

Performers will parade through the streets dressed in indigenous costumes, making for a very lively scene. In addition to this, tribal dance is also one of the characteristics, which is to convey happiness. Locals will shout "hala bira purya pasma" or "Viva Kayseor Santonio" to the beat. And tourists should never be shy to join in the dance. It will be a good memory if you get a chance to sing and dance with the locals.

Although only six Philippine festivals the introduced here, there are actually many more in the Philippines for you to experience. Whether you like to feel the festive atmosphere or have a soft spot for a certain kind of food, the Philippines is able to meet your requirements for festivals. If you are interested in any festival, then don't miss them. Travel with Odynovo to experience the variety of Philippine's different festivals.