The origin of most early festivals, locally known as "fiestas", are rooted in Christianity, dating back to the Spanish colonial period when the many communities (such as barrios and towns) of the predominantly Catholic Philippines almost always had a patron saint assigned to each of them. Originally encouraged by the Spanish to coincide with Christian holy days, early patronal festivals became vital instruments in spreading Christianity throughout the country.[1][2][3][4]
Festivals in the Philippines can be religious, cultural, or both. Several of these are held to honor the local Roman Catholic patron saint, to commemorate local history and culture, to promote the community's products, or to celebrate a bountiful harvest. They can be marked by Holy Masses, processions, parades, theatrical play and reenactments, religious or cultural rituals, trade fairs, exhibits, concerts, pageants and various games and contests. However, festivals in the country are not limited to Christian origins. Many festivals also focus on Islamic or indigenous concepts. There are more than 42,000 known major and minor festivals in the Philippines, the majority of which are in the barangay (village) level. Due to the thousands of town, city, provincial, national, and village fiestas in the country, the Philippines has traditionally been known as the Capital of the World's Festivities.[citation needed] The majority of festivals in the Philippines may have their own peryas (trade fairs with temporary amusement parks).
Some festivals, such as Holy Week and Christmas, are declared as public holidays, and thus, are observed and celebrated nationwide.
^Hicks, Nigel (2001). "Profile of the Philippines; The People". This is the Philippines. London: New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd. pp. 23–24. ISBN 9781843301707. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
^Roces, Alfredo; Roces, Grace (May 15, 2013). CultureShock! Philippines. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd. ISBN 9789814634908. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
^"The Barrio Fiesta in the Philippines". Philippine Centre. 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2015. The one unifying element amongst the geographical, historical and cultural diversity of the Philippines is the fiesta. Described as the most beloved institution in the country, fiesta is the embodiment of everything held dear by the Filipino people – pageantry, drama, humor, friendship, religious piety and earthy revelry. The roots of the fiesta reach back to the early years of Spanish rule, when the friars coaxed their converts within hearing distance of the church bells with the pomp and ceremony of organized celebrations. The Christian aspects of fiesta thinly veil ancient beliefs pagan celebration were altered rather than outlawed, the dances and rituals offered to saints, instead of heathen gods.
^"Virtual Teacher Aide". Philippines; Celebrations. Retrieved November 29, 2015. There is always a fiesta (festival) going on somewhere in the Philippines as every city and barrio holds at least one each year. The fiesta is usually to honor the local Roman Catholic patron saint and pay homage to the barrio's namesake for good harvest and health. It is a mixture of both pagan and Catholic beliefs. These fiestas are marked by feasting and celebration of holy mass, music, dance and song.
and 28 Related for: List of festivals in the Philippines information
Folk festivalsinthePhilippines. Christmas inthePhilippines Holy Week inthePhilippines Film festivalsinthePhilippines Music festivalsinthe Philippines...
includes festivalsof diverse types, including regional festivals, commerce festivals, film festivals, folk festivals, carnivals, recurring festivals on holidays...
This is a listof existing major film festivals, sorted by continent. The world's oldest film festival is the Mostra internazionale d'arte cinematografica...
2020). "All is Quiet in Bohol May Fiesta Lanes". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 18, 2020. "Bolibong Kingking Festivalin Bohol". Bohol Tourism...
festivals are held annually in Metro Manila. They include: Feast ofthe Black Nazarene - (On 9 January) A grand Fiesta, this festival centers on the image...
with the center ofthe activities being in Cebu City, and is the centre ofthe Santo Niño Christian celebrations inthePhilippines. Thefestival is considered...
InthePhilippines, provinces (Filipino: lalawigan or probinsiya) are one of its primary political and administrative divisions. There are 82 provinces...
shopping malls inthePhilippinesListof shopping malls in Metro Manila Philippines portal Numerous sources stated that the gross floor area of Ayala Malls...
spoken inthePhilippines, depending on the method of classification. Almost all are Malayo-Polynesian languages native to the archipelago. A number of Spanish-influenced...
The MassKara Festival (Hiligaynon: Pista sang MassKara, Filipino: Pista ng MassKara) is an annual festival with highlights held every 4th Sunday of October...
This is a listof bridges inthePhilippines. This list includes notable viaducts or landbridges built over land mass, on coastal areas, riverbanks and...
ThePhilippines is inhabited by more than 182 ethnolinguistic groups,: 5 many of which are classified as "Indigenous Peoples" under the country's Indigenous...
festivals; poetry festivals, theatre festivals, and storytelling festivals; and re-enactment festivals such as Renaissance fairs. InthePhilippines, aside from...
A listof music festivals around the world. A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical...
is a listof selected dishes found inthePhilippines. While the names of some dishes may be the same as those found in other cuisines, many of them have...
The Arts inthePhilippines are all the arts inthePhilippines, from the beginning of civilization to the present. They reflect a range of artistic influences...
partial listof city and municipality nicknames inthePhilippines compiles the aliases, sobriquets, and slogans that cities and municipalities inthe Philippines...
The national flag ofthePhilippines (Filipino: pambansang watawat ng Pilipinas) is a horizontal bicolor flag with equal bands of royal blue and crimson...
The indigenous peoples ofthePhilippines are ethnolinguistic groups or subgroups that maintain partial isolation or independence throughout the colonial...
ListofFilipino actresses is a listof present and past notable Filipino actresses on stage, television, and motion pictures, arranged in alphabetical...
Global Information
