Filipinos love to party, and our culture is deeply tied to grand festivals like Masskara and Sinulog. These celebrations attract both locals and foreigners, showing our reputation for lively events.
Some Philippine festivals can be reached by car from Metro Manila, offering a chance for an authentic cultural experience this August.
Pahiyas festival. Happening annually on August 19 in Lucban, Quezon, locals display handcrafted paper mache giants in vibrant costumes, carried by oath-makers as a thanksgiving tradition. The event features dances, marching bands, and concludes with a fiery paper mache bull running through the town plaza.
Pasa-Pasa Ikaw Festival. Observed from August 25 to 30 in Camarines Sur, the festival pays tribute to St. Rose of Lima, Pasacao’s patron saint. It highlights the town’s historical significance through Pasacao Port, a vital 16th Century link to Manila. The festival’s pinnacle is the August 29 Grand Civic Parade.
Tsinelas Festival. This festival in Gapan, Nueva Ecija celebrates the city’s renowned product – humble slippers/flip-flops. Gapan is known as the Tsinelas Capital for its wide distribution of these products. The festival aligns with Gapan’s cityhood anniversary and takes place from August 6 to 25.
Ibalong Festival. Locals in Legazpi City, Albay honors the Ibalong Epic, narrating Bicol’s mythical beginnings. Participants don masks and costumes resembling epic characters for vibrant street parades. Visitors can engage in contests, concerts, cultural displays, and markets. The festival runs each year from August 12 to 30.
This list is curated by Smart. The telco also reminds that for travel, a pocket WiFi is crucial, especially when navigating with apps like Waze. Smart Bro’s LTE-Advanced Pocket WiFi offers up to 100 Mbps speeds, perfect for families, supporting three devices.