FESTIVITIESRegion I

Ilocos NorteBAC-BACARRA FESTIVAL

• Bacarra, Ilocos Norte• Farmers Festival• November 30• The legendary word “bac-

bacarra” is a specie of freshwater fish abundant in the river during the 15th century which gave birth to the town’s name .

GULING-GULING FESTIVAL

• Paoay, Ilocos Norte• Guling-Guling Martes• May• aims to commemorate the 16th

century old practice of the Spanish friars for the religious sector to interact with its parishioners. It has always been celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday

PAMULINAWEN FESTIVAL

• Laoag City• February 10• Our Lady of Peace• Pamulinawen is the name of a

woman made popular in the classic Ilocano song titled... Pamulinawen.

PINILI TOWN FIESTA AND AGRO-INDUSTRIAL FARE and GARLIC FESTIVAL

• April 13 - 16• Pinili,Ilocos Norte• Pinili Town Fiesta and Agro-Industrial

Fare is celebrated in honor of St. Isidore de Farmer

• Garlic Festival which is now a tourist attraction is observed because garlic is the main commodity of Pinili 

EMPANADA FESTIVAL

• Batac, Ilocos Norte• December 8 - 30• BATAC EMPANADA is made of

savory filling of grated green papaya, mongo, longganisa and egg. The dough that serves as its thin and crisp wrapper is made of rice flour.

Ilocos SurSinait Garlic Festival

• Sinait,Ilocos Sur• May 1 - 3• The province-wide cooking contest is also

held side-by-side with the Search for the Biggest Garlic Bulb and Garlic Bundling, whose categories include Longest Twined Garlic, Creative Bundling, and Bundling Competition which also allows tourist participation.

Pinakbet Festival

• Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur• April 23• it features street dances and cooking

competitions and honours the Sta. Maria’s farmers’ industry and their housewives’ cooking skills.

Binatbatan Festival

• Vigan City, Ilocos Sur• First week of May• the festival got its name from the Iluko

term batbatin, or separating cotton balls from the seeds of the local fruit tree kapas sanglay. The cotton balls are then spun and used in weaving the abel, which Chinese merchants then residing in Ciudad Fernandina, the Vigan of old, exported and which was among the local products shipped during the galleon trade from the 15th to the 18th century. 

Tabako Festival

• Candon City, Ilocos Sur• every last week of March• thanksgiving for the city's

bountiful harvest of tobacco.

Semana Santa

• Holy Week• Good Friday procession highlights decorated

carrozas bearing life-size, Spanish vintage statues of saints. On Easter Sunday, the dawn celebration depicting the Resurrection of Christ called "Sabet" is a scene to watch out for.

La UnionSan Fernando Town Fiesta

•  February 6 to 12 to honour St. William, the Hermit.• San Fernando, La Union

Feast of Our Lady of Caysasay

• San Fernando, La Union• held on the second week of September which is the

5th day of August in the Lunar calendar

Agoo Semana Santa

• May 6• Agoo, La Union• During the Holy week the town people of Agoo come

up with religious activities to make the occasion more meaningful and sacred.

ARINGAY FESTIVAL

• May 15-21• Aringay, La Union• Fiesta celebration highlighting the agricultural

product of Lasam, the Aringay Rice variety with agri-industrial trade fair, street dancing and other activities. BUYBUY FESTIVAL

• February 9 - 11• Burgos, La Union• "buybuy" or tiger grass•  Featured is a civic parade, trade fair and

handicraft exhibition. Cultural performances can also be seen during this time.  

PangasinanBangus Festival

• April 16 – May 1• Dagupan City, Pangasinan•  In 2003, the Guinness Book of World Records

recognized the “Kalutan ed Dagupan” as the Longest Barbecue of the World

Pista'y Dayat Festival

• May 1• Lingayen, Pangasinan• celebrates the bountiful harvest and abundant

fishing from the sea. The events feature mass offering on beautiful beaches and fluvial parade.

Puto Festival

• White Gold Fedtival• May 5• Calasiao, Pangasinan•  Calasiao puto ( white gold) “cup-shaped, bite-

sized, soft rice cakes; the semi-glutinous rice is fermented in old earthen jars."

Panangedayew Festival

• “to uplift”• Nov. 27 - December 2• Dagupan City, Pangasinan• trade fair of Pangasinan’s pride like Bonuan

bngus, bgoong, peanut brittle, quilted products housewares and locally made Christmas decors.

Sigay Festival

•  January 15 to February 2 • Binmaley, Pangasinan•  It serves as the main highlight of the fiesta

celebration of Binmaley town, the “Seafood Capital of the North.”

• Sigay is a Pangasinan dialect word which means to harvest.