Quezon Province Festivals - Fiestas in Quezon

The province formerly known as Tayabas, was explored by the Spaniards in 1571 and 1572 when Juan de Salcedo visited and explored upon the order of the first Spanish Governor General of the Philippines, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. They passed through the central portion of Tayabas in his march across Laguna Province to Paracale. The following years, Salcedo led his famous expeditions around the northern coast of Luzon. He visited the “CONTRACOSTA” towns of Casiguran, Baler and Infanta.
In September 7, 1946, President Manuel A. Roxas, by virtue of Republic Act No. 14 renamed the province to Quezon, in honor of the late President Manuel L. Quezon, the most illustrious son of Baler, formerly part of Quezon.
The present seat of provincial government is Lucena City, the province’s capital.

• Tagkawayan Day - Jan 1

A month long activity held in time with the town’s foundation day (Jan. 1) till the Town Fiesta (Feb.9-11). The celebration are highlighted with the following events: agricultural fairs wherein all the products and crafts of Tagkawayan are exhibited and sold. Sibidan Festival (a one-man banca with the use of paddle and the town’s people designed their bancas in different colors). Carabao Festival features a colorful parade of decorated carabao.

• Sto Nino Festival - Jan
• Candle Festival - Candelaria - Feb 1-2.

This is the celebration of the ritual purification of Mary, which, as required by Jewish law, took place forty days after the birth of her child. Candle Festival is February 2. The first celebration took place in the late seventh or early eight centuries. The custom of blessing the candles that were carried in processions gave the day its popular name of candle Festival. In many countries, Candle Festival has been looked upon as the end of the Christmas season. This was the day when the decorations would be taken down and stored for another year. The Christmas plants would be burned, with the remnants of the Yule log for the next year would be chosen then. Candle Festival was also a good day for weather forecasting. If it was sunny day, there would be forty more days of cold and snow. In Almonacid del Marquesado, La Endiablada (The Fiend) pays tribute to the Virgin Mary, and appears the following day when the feast of St. Blaise is celebrated. This feast-day is structed in an unusual yet precise way. The cowbells ring out ceaselessly, becoming even more prominent once inside the church. The devils (children, youths, adults and old people) are present at the processions both for Candle Festival and St. Blaise, running and jumping and raising their arms whilst staring obsessively at the statues. A similar celebration, though not nearly as well-known, takes place in the nearby town of El Hito(Cuenca) on 28th May. Turtledoves, doves, candles and large cakes all feature in the procession held on this day. In Alcaudete de la Jara, Toledo, a group of soldiers makes an appearance the following Sunday and parades through the streets every Sunday and feast day until the first day of Lent, that following Shrove Tuesday. In Valls Tarragona, in years ending in the number 1, Decennial Celebrations are held, bringing together colles de castellers, groups of acrobats who form human pyramids, giants and big heads from all aver Catalonia. Finally, in Madrid the traditional heifer-run has recently seen a revival following its sharp decline or even disappearance after the Civil War. This belief has carried into American folklore tradition as Groundhog Day.

• Candelaria Town Fiesta on Feb 5
• Atimonan Day on Feb 4
• Sayawayan Festival - Tagakawayan on Feb 9

The Sayawayan Festival in Tagkawayan, Quezon is held annually in celebration of their town fiesta in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes. This year, it was held last February 9 (Saturday) wherein six (6) Elementary Schools and nine (9)High Schools, both from public and private, participated in the street dancing competition. It was a joyous celebration showcasing the talented Tagkawayanins and their local products  citrus fruits and coconuts. The participants costumes and props were made of indigenous materials which showed the creativity and resourcefulness of the people of Tagkawayan. The major sponsor of the event was Coca Cola Company in cooperation with the LGU of Tagkawayan, Quezon headed by no less than the Municipal Mayor, Hon. Vicente E. Salumbides III.

• Laguimanoc Festival - Padre Burgos on Feb 17

Padre Burgos was formerly known as Laguimanoc due to the shape of the coastline which resembles the bill of a chicken or “manok”. Another version is that chickens were so abundant in the town that hawks always sweeped down the place to snatch chicks from their mother hens. When hawks flew overhead, as warning to their neighborhood, people shouted “Hawk Manok” or “Lawin-Manok”. On January 1, 1917 the village of Laguimanoc, which was formerly a barrio of Atimonan, became a municipality. Ten years after, the town’s council changed the name to Padre Burgos, in honor of one of our country’s martyrs. The streets were named after local leaders who rendered valuable services to the community. Because of the physical and topographic conditions of the town, four (4) sitios where clusters of houses were built became the main district of the town namely Campo, Burgos, Basiao and Bundok-Punta. The community converged to be in this particular spot because of its sea which made this town as port of Laguimanoc. In the early days this port offered a good wharf for vessels plying between Manila and Southern Luzon. This was also a port of call for ships exporting lumber to Europe during the Spanish regime. In this town was the residence of the “Alcalde Mar” or Port Officer. Business and other industries were prospering and people conglomerated in this spot. Spots of the historical interest are the wharf symbol of commercial progress, the old church with the old-fashioned “canyon” markers of the people’s religious faith, the Bag Cement Slabs and Stone quarries Mute Testimonies of the effervescent power and grandeur of the early foriegn settlers, the Hills near the railroad station where the Japs tortured and massacred civilians in the barrios of Marao and Polo where the Hunter’s Guerillas built their camps.

• Coco-Lunay Festival - Feb 3 in Malunay

Coco-Lunay Festival was celebrated highlighting the origin of the town and the major source of income of its populace which is coco. A contest was held wherein the participants from clustered schools in the municicpality were dressed up with coconut materials, embroidered with different agri-products and painted natively to accentuate the Coco-Lunay Festival.

• Boling-Boling Festival - March in Catanauan

Boling Boling Festival is an old age practice particular to Catanauanins, which is celebrated annually starting Sunday and ends on Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday and signals the start of the Lenten Season. Participants roam around the town garbed in any costume they may fancy. Most of them wear colorful clown-like clothes called “Karnabals”, originating from the prominent figure probably coming from the clowns of carnival while others imitate anybody whom they despise and make fun of them. Senior women wearing brightly colored dresses and hats with flowers called “Denoñas”, or like one house to another with accompaniment of a guitarist and some tambourines to solicit cash donations, half of which is given to the local Parish Church for its expenses during the Lenten Season activities and the other half for their own groups civic projects. Some men skimpily clad only in their undergarments put on mud or grease with charcoal all over their bodies and roam around the town trying to scare young women and children for fun. This is a symbolic ritual of cleansing oneself making them prepared to commemorate the Lenten Season and also a way of expressing their creativity.No one can tell exactly when and how this practice started, not even the oldest resident of this idyllic town located at the heart of Bondoc Peninsula. Boling-Boling comes from the visayan word “Boling” which means dirt. This reminds people of the mortality of man. In earlier times, Catanauanins had a grandiose merry-making during the Boling-Boling as starting the following day, which is Ash Wednesday, they will keep silent suspending all merry-makings until the Black Saturday in reverence to the Lenten Season.

• Senakulo - March

The most famous life story ever written on Jesus Christ will be staged in Quezon. This Lenten Season, Quezons governor, Governor Raffy P. Nantes, in cooperation with Quezon Provincial Tourism Office, will be having an activity called Senakulo 2008. This theatrical play will be performed and operated by Marantha Theatrical Guild on March 17, 2008 in Perez Park, Lucena City This melodramatic presentation is about the life and sacrifices of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a traditional production of the group and they used to hold it annually at different places in Luzon. Through this event, they have captured numerous of patron audience. They made their supporters be proud of what they have done and be able to catch them every time they will have their performance. SENAKULO is done during Lenten Season, most especially during Holy week. Lots of devotees during the season will come and will surely make a point it to watch this sensational play.

• Hambujan Festival of Dolores on April 11

Since the early times, Sitio Hambujan wa an eminent bathing place now called Sta. Lucia. Hambujan to most is just basaan. But to the deepest essence of the word, it is the ceremony of acceptance of guests from other places who come to present themselves with gift of friendship and the proposal of unity. It has now become the gateway to the strengthening of our brotherhood as a nation through our tradition. And to this effect a  Hambujan Festival was organized and being held annually in the month of April  the towns Foundation Celebration.

• Sinampalukan Festival - Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer on April 25 in Sampaloc

Fiestas and festivals are colorful traditions brought by our Spanish ancestors. These are characterized by so much merry making, highlighting the undying culture of our nation, the inherent warmth of the Filipinos and the love for music and arts in different forms. Festivals evolved to become a means for tourism development. Arts and crafts, music and local products meld to become what a locality is known for not only locally but globally as well. But like all conceptualization of any event, festivals started as small gatherings to display the peoples’ ingenuity and gratitude for blessings received. Later, these small events flourished through the creativity, talent and love for festivities. Like any other town with beautiful and nurtured traditions, Sampaloc has finally decided to pool all its resources to create a festival that would reflect its inherent culture, show to every one the products of which Sampaloc is known for, showcase the hidden talent of its people, to create a niche in the tourism map. Like other grand undertakings that started with small steps, Sampaloc began its initial step by launching its first Sinampalukan Festival which reflects the “awit, sayaw at katuwaan ng mga Sampalukin”. An Executive Order was signed on March 6, 2006 by Honorable Mayor Samson B. Delgado for the creation of an AdHoc Committee headed by Vice Mayor Emmanuel S. Torres. It will be responsible for the implementation of the proposed activities and directing all sectors to participate in and celebrate the first Sinampalukan Festival. The Sangguniang Bayan through Resolution No. 07-2006 sponsored by Councilor Peter Ornedo overall coordinator declared April 16-26 yearly as the date for holding the festival. It is primarily conceptualized as a way of giving thanks to the patron saint San Vicente Ferrer. Activities for the festival which may vary yearly, will be held for nine days coinciding with the nine-day novena for San Vicente Ferrer. It will be participated in by the fourteen barangays of the municipality, schools and non-government organizations. Dance troupes and bands from other locality were invited to add color and glamour to the occasion. The first Sinampalukan Festival may have flaws, it may not be as a grand as renowned festivals of other municipalities but the local government of Sampaloc will not stop to polish the activities so that Sampaloc will continue to show that even small as we are we can also staged a festival, Sampalukins can be proud of.

• Harana’t Sayaw Festival - Feast of St. Mark Evangelist on April 22 in Infanta

“Harana” (or serenade) is one of the positive Filipino tradition and culture which was being practiced by the people from Infanta, Quezon and nearby municipalities in the early days. During those days, it is the appropriate means for a young bachelor to meet formally a young lady. The young man shall organize a small “harana” ensemble - size ranging from two (duet), three (trio) or five-man team, with one guitarist. With the silence of the night as their background, the team will serenade the young lady with amorous “kundimans” or Tagalog love songs. After two to three songs, the young lady will invite the group into their house for some conversation. During the conversation proper, songs shall also be exchanged between the young man and the young lady. After the “harana-getting -to-know-you” stage, the young bachelor will start courting the young dame through frequent visits, gifts, “panunuyo or paninilbihan” (i.e., voluntary service in the young lady´s household like chopping of firewood, fetching of water, etc.). After some time, the young man will propose to the lady of his dreams and if the dame replied “Yes” to his proposal, then the “pamamanhikan” will follow. If the parents of the lady agreed to the proposed wedding arrangements of the young bachelor´s family, then the wedding date shall be set, finally. The tradition of “harana” has been practiced by Infanta folks for the past decades. However, it is seldom practiced nowadays. In order to revive the “harana” tradition in the municipality, the local government unit of Infanta, through the collaborative effort of Infanta Local Tourism Council (ILTC), Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMA) and the Committee on Fiesta, will sponsor “Harana´t Sayaw 2006″ on the night of April 22, 2006. Nine (9) “harana” teams from nine (9) different barangay clusters or districts of Infanta, Quezon will compete for the prestige of being the “Harana 2006″ champion. Aside from the honors, the champion will likewise receive PhP 8,000.00 cash prize and a trophy. The first and second runners up will receive PhP 5,000.00 and PhP 3,000.00, respectively. In between performances of contestants, local folk dances shall be performed by students from different secondary schools and colleges in Infanta. However, their performances shall be an exhibition activity, not a competition. Lastly, aside from reviving “harana” and folk dances in the locality, the ILTC aims to develop/discover hidden cultural talents of Infanta residents that can also be tapped to promote the sustainable development of the local tourism.

• Infanta Town Fiesta on April 25
• Anahaw Festival April 30 in Lopez
• Padre Burgos Town Fiesta on May 3
• Mayohan sa Tayabas on May 15

The clamor for suman and other pabitin as their sweat, strength and rivalry pervade in the air. Impelled by their yearly panata or sacrificial devotion to San Isidro, they participate in “Hagisan ng Suman” believing that the bounty gathered in their sacks heralds economic upliftment. It portends the amount of their next harvest or income for the year. Suman is the ritual gift of Hagisan. The Tayabasin cook it with great enthusiasm because Hagisan is an opportunity to share their prosperity. Bundles of suman are gaily tied in the pabitin, which is made out of a special kind of bamboo called bagakay. Pabitin is actually an installation art that is not simply exhibited . As soon as the image of San Isidro passes by, pabitin must be emptied of its colorful array of abundance, which, besides suman, includes banana, buko, pineapple and other summer fruits. Unstoppable is the outpouring of voices during the Hagisan ng Suman. Full of primeval joy for both the giver and the receiver, Hagisan has two inseparable gestures: Letting go for those who freely give, and openness for those who wish to receive. One is nourished by the other, and the experience graces, both with deep gratitude for a life of plenty.

• Agawan Fetival in Sariaya on May 15

The Agawan Festival is an annual agricultural festival held in Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines every 15th May. The festival name, Agawan, is of recent development. It was the idea of Rev. Fr. Raul Enriquez, now the town’s parish priest, president of its tourism council and the proponent of the town’s quadricentennial celebration in 1999. The name describes the main feature of the fiesta procession. As the parade winds its way through the streets, people snatch the goodies and other produce hanging on the houses they pass by or on a pabitin, specially made for the parade. At the same time, people in the houses throw food, fruits and money into the parade. Before the parade, nearby residents decorate the outside of their homes. Colorful buntal hats are festooned all over the façade of houses. String beans are draped on windows to make curtains and banana trees are used to adorn fences. The primary, and most traditional, element in the decoration was the bagakay, or young bamboo branches from which junk food, fruits, candies and money were hung for people to snatch as they pass by. People say no matter how high the bagakays are, they would bow when the image of San Isidro Labrador passes by, allowing people to grab the goodies.

• Pahiyas Festival Lucban Quezon on May 15

Every year, thousands of tourist and holiday makers flock to this historic town commended as one of the cleanest and most peaceful community in the country. Its cool, fresh and invigorating climate earns her the singular distinction of being called the Summer Capital of Quezon Province. The town’s natural scenic spots and colorful lifestyles add to the charm that entices both foreign and local tourists to visit the place. The San Isidro Pahiyas Festival held every May 15 has become one of the country’s tourist attractions prompting the Department of Tourism to list down Lucban as a tourist town and a cultural heritage site. During the San Isidro Pahiyas Festival, each household tries to outdo each other in friendly competition as they vie for honor of recognizing their creativity. As incentives to their effort, prizes were given to the winning pahiyas based on a given criteria. This accounts for some of the most curious décor that the unstoppable spirit of the festival tends to show. Decking the hall or decorating the wall with “Kiping” and agricultural harvest is what “PAYAS” or “PAHIYAS” literally means. Farmers show their bountiful produce such as chayote, radish, pepper and grains of rice. There are miniatures locally known as “ANOK”, fruits, vegetables and longganisa (local sausage) strung together in the most original fashion. Residents engaging in other forms of livelihood display their products too in thanksgiving. The handicraft manufacturer has his house decked with colorful buri/buntal hats, bags, placemats and others while the butcher has a head of roasted suckling pig (lechon) peeking from the window. The most traditional and certainly the most attractive décor comes of course in the form of “KIPING” which are adorn and strung together to form all sorts of shapes, from chandelier called “ARANGYA” to huge flowers. Kiping is made from ground rice flour, shaped using “cabal” leaves or other leaf forms and colored in radiant red, fuschia, yellow, green and other bright shades. When kiping catches the light of the sun it turns into a veritable cascades of color. The celebration is a form of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and in honor of the patron saint of farmers, San Isidro de Labrador. A procession of the image of San Isidro is planned long before the festival and it is said that houses along the route of the procession passes will be especially favored and blessed in the coming year. It is from this belief that the lavish decoration of the home began. After all, one must welcome the saint’s blessings with rapture and gratitude.

• Pabitin Festival of Catanauan on May 15
• Alimango Festival of Calauag on May 25
• Pasayahan sa Lucena on the last week of May

A three day celebration composed of outlandish costumes and symbolic float which parade along the main road of the city. Dancing, Singing and merry making on the street ala Mardi Gras highlights the affair.

• Lucena Town Fiesta on May 30
• Guzo Festival on May 24

The TREE OF LIFE popularly known as coconut is a common cash crop in the Municipality of Calauag and in the whole province of Quezon. Almost 100% of the total land area is planted to coconut. The local government unit designed activities to be participated in solely by coconut farmers and workers. Coprarehan, Cocokayuran and Cocobunutan, traditional activities in copra making were highlighted as annual activities to be observed every fiesta. The festivals were be participated only by seaweed growers, coconut farmers, coconut farm workers and coco wage earners

• Katang Festival on May in Calauag

This Genus Scylla species or mud crab throughout tropical warm temperature zone of the pacific region, and are found commonly in mangrove forests and habits. The size high heat yield and delicate flavor mean that they highly priced for coastal residents for they are easily caught using simple traps or net. Calauag is one of the coastal municipalities which blessed with bountiful marine resource and sea products especially the mud crabs, locally known as KATANG. Every year we are celebrating the founding anniversary of Calauag, were our Kababayans from other places, people from neighboring towns and visitors do come and visit us, were the Calaugeneans disply all our unique special products like Katang for them to see, we are show our interest to sell them, and finnaly open our door to tourism. The local government unit of Calauag initiates the celebration of Katang Festival to be the part of the celebration of founding Anniversary of this Municipality to recognize this marine product for being one of the source of income of our fisher folks and to promote Tourism in this Municipality.

• Agawan Festival in Sariaya on May 15

The joyous preparations for the feast of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers and laborers, begin at the eve of May 14. The people select the best among their cropsand don these on their windowsills, walls, in their colorful arañas and on the branches of young bamboo trees called bagacays. On May 15, the actual feast, the people wait for the processions bearing the image of the saint trail pass their houses. As soon as it does, a happy pandemonium follows as they let their bagacays fall stem-trimmings-and-all to the eager throng while each homeowner shower fruits and vegetables from his windowsill and let the people render bare his decorations which some hours ago he had taken pains to prepare. It is this generosity in spirit, this eagerness to share what they have to others which make the feast of San Isidro unique and meaningful in the company of Sariayahins.

• Lubid-Lubid Festival of Tiaong on June 23

Conduct during the town fiesta (June 24), a social festivities where an executive committee is created souvenir program published showcasing the origin of Tiaong, people who have given their life for the towns growth.

• Lilay-Coco Festival Of Unisan on June 28-30
• Gayang Fesitval of Guinayangan on June 20

Coconut and Banana being the primary source of livelihood of the Guinayanganins, whereas coconut known as ” Tree of Life” because it is one of the most useful trees in the world and banana wherein fruits, leaves, roots and trees are very useful, nothing to throw. In addition to this value, there are innumerable uses of both coconut and banana that’s why, Coconut and Banana are really the source of livelihood of the town folks.

• Cow Festival of Tiaong on June 24

The idea of the festival revolved around paying tribute to the cows. But instead of showcasing real cows in their annual parade, the local government decided to depict cows in their dancing because based from the legend where the named of Tiaong came from the mowing of the cow. A competition among elementary and high school students, the choreograph street dancing was an attraction by itself. Students and their colorful costumes with some dresses like a cow brought delight the audience

• Maubanog Festival of Mauban on 2nd week of July

Maubanog Festival is a seven day cultural extravaganza that features the town’s colorful history amiable people, tasty cuisine and of course, its locally fermented only-in-Mauban nipa wine! Known for its unique aroma and tangy taste, the nipa wine, popularly known as lambanog, is one of Mauban’s top agricultural produce. Fermented for a number of weeks from nipa leaves, local wine makers from some 20 barangays of Mauban sell their produce locally and yet are looking forward to selling overseas as the present administration ties up with the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Agriculture to improve its taste and explore a myriad of possibilities. And yes, Maubanin wine makers are looking forward to the annual Maubanog Festival as its number one salesman as its number one salesman, as its number one creator of opportunity for Mauban lambanog to be known internationally! Thus, Maubanog festival is a most anticipated event in Mauban. It’s carnival! It’s the most joyous moment in Mauban! With activities that include a boat race, a street dancing competition, a wine drinking contest, a singing competition, a street party and concert, a benefit ball, an agricultural exhibit, a cultural presenstation, a fireworks display, and a lot more, Maubanog Festival says a mounthful about the people of Mauban and also of Quezon Province: they love to party and party they do! With an estimated 50, 000 local and foreign visitors every MAubanog Festival, this event promises a host of possibilities for those who would want to partake a life that is fun filled and unique! Only in Mauban. Only where fiesta is a way of life. 40 barangays. 79,450 people. One town. One vision. One Maubanog Festival. Taas Noo! Maubanin Tayo!

• Tagultol Festival of Atimonan on August 1
• Kalilayan Festival of Lucena on August 19-20
• Lucban Day on August 19
• Lucena Day on August 20
• Pagbilao Day on August 29
• Santo Cristo de Burgos Town Fiesta of Sariaya on September 14
• Dolores Town Fiesta on September 15
• Penafrancia Festival of Gumaca (high tide saturday of september)
• Malagkit Festival of San Antonio on October 4
• Drum & Lyre Festival of Lopez on October 6
• Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary on October 7
• Real Town Fiesta Of Real Quezon, October 24
• Hermano Puli on November 4
• Gumaca Town Fiesta on november 12
• Pagbilao Town Fiesta on  4th week of november
  
• Belen Festival of Sariaya on month of december
• Catanuan Town Fiesta on December 8

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