We may now be in the season of Lent, but that doesn’t mean all the fun and games are put on hold. Throughout the month of March the Philippines will be the venue for dozens of festivals, celebrating everything from bananas to dead presidents. Here, in no particular order, are some of them:
SENAKULO / HOLY WEEK RITUALS & PROCESSIONS
Nationwide
March 28-April 4
BALOT SA PUTI FESTIVAL
Pateros
March 29
PASAYAW FESTIVAL
Canlaon City, Negros Oriental
March 17
ARAW NG ISLAND GARDEN CITY OF SAMAL (IGACOS)
Island Garden City of Samal
March 1-7
ZP SUMMER
Zamboanga City
March 1-31
SUGBAHAN
Davao City
March 2-14
PUERTO PRINCESA FOUNDATION DAY
Puerto Princesa City
March 4
BANGKERO FESTIVAL
Pagsanjan, Laguna
March 6-10
ARYA! ABRA FESTIVAL (Bamboo rafting)
Bangued, Abra
March 7-11
PANAGTAGBO FESTIVAL
Tagum City
March 7
BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF PRESIDENT JOSE P LAUREL
Tanauan, Batangas
March 9
BANTAYAN FESTIVAL
Guimbal, Iloilo
March 9-15
ARAW NG DABAW CELEBRATION
Davao City
March 16
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
La Trinidad, Benguet
March 18-April 9
PINTADOS DE PASI FESTIVAL
Passi City, Iloilo
March 11-18
HOMONHON LANDING
Homonhon, Eastern Samar
March 16
LUGAHAIT FESTIVAL
Lugait, Misamis Oriental
March 16
HINATDAN FESTIVAL
Ginatilan, Cebu City
March (2nd week)
SOLI-SOLI FESTIVAL
San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu
March 18
BANANA FESTIVAL
Baco, Mindoro Oriental
March 18-19
MAYON CONQUEST
Albay
March 18-20
SULYOG FESTIVAL
Bongabong, Mindoro Oriental
March 19
TABAK FESTIVAL
Tabaco City, Albay
March 19-22
SINIGAYAN FESTIVAL
Sagay City
March 19
ALIMANGO FESTIVAL
Lala, Lanao del Norte
March 22
TORUGPO
Carigara, Leyte
March 22
KABANHAWAN FESTIVAL
Minglanilla, Cebu
March 23
MALIBAY CENACULO
Tanghalang Malibay, Malibay Plaza, Pasay City
March 30-April 8
CUARESMA
San Jose, Antique
March 28-April 4
KISI-KISI FESTIVAL
Negros Occidental
March 27-31
MANOK NI SAN PEDRO FESTIVAL
San Pedro, Laguna
March 27
TABACCO FESTIVAL
Candon City, Ilocos Sur
March 23-29
KATKAT SA DIPOLOG
Dipolog City
March 28-April 3
GAWAGAWAY-YAN KAWAYAN FESTIVAL
Cauayan City
March 30-April 15
BOLING-BOLING FESTIVAL
Catanauan, Quezon
March 6-8
ANILAG FESTIVAL
Provincial Capitol Compound, Sta. Cruz, Laguna
March 8-15
SUMBRERO FESTIVAL
Barangay Platero, Biñan, Laguna
March (no definite date)
KALAP FESTIVAL
Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro
March 21
PAGSANJAN BANGKERO FESTIVAL
Pagsanjan, Laguna
March 27-31
DINAGSA FESTIVAL
Sto. Niño Plaza, Poblacion, Muntinlupa City
March 1-5
SAY-AM FESTIVAL
Calanasan, Apayao
March (no definite date)
ANITAP FESTIVAL
Kapangan, Benguet
March 17
MANCHATCHATONG FESTIVAL
Balbalan, Kalinga
March 4-6
PINDANGAN FESTIVAL
San Fernando City, La Union
March 20
ANI FESTIVAL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte
March 23-30
MARCOS TOWN FIESTA/MANNALON FESTIVAL
Marcos, Ilocos Norte
March 27
DIADI TOWN FESTIVAL
Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya
March 18-21
BAYCAT FESTIVAL/ARITAO TOWN FESTIVAL
Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya
March 19-22
BACAO FESTIVAL
Echague, Isabela
March 16-20
PENABLANCA PATRONAL TOWN FIESTA
Peñablanca, Cagayan
March 18-19
DELFIN ALBANO PATRONAL TOWN FESTIVAL
Delfin Albano, Isabela
March 14-17
SABUTAN FESTIVAL
Palanan, Isabela
March 21-23
ANAO TOWN FIESTA
Mun. of Anao, Tarlac
March 13-15
BAROTORERA FESTIVAL
Brgy. Odiongan, Gingoog City
March 19
ARAW NG TAGUM CITY
Tagum City
March 1-7
SAN JOSE FIESTA
Compostela Valley
March 19
ARAW NG PANABO
Panabo City
March 20-31
TILAPIA FESTIVAL
Municipality of Braulio E. Dujali
March 5
BULAWAN FESTIVAL
ComVal, Capitol Nabunturan
March 6-8
AL-LAW NG KALUMUNAN
Capitol Nabunturan, ComVal
March 7
BANGUS FESTIVAL
Coastal Road, Panabo City
March 30
BANGA ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL
Banga, South Cotabato
March 1-4
KAMAYADAN FESTIVAL
Norala, South Cotabato
March 6-10
SES’LONG FESTIVAL
T’boli, South Cotabato
March 5-16
MAGALLANES FESTIVAL
Guiuan, East Samar
March 16
DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF PRESIDENT RAMON MAGSAYSAY
Castillejos, Zambales
March 17
MALASIMBO MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL – THE MANGYAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL
Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
March 2-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wek2euZCMe0