Colorful Festivals and Events to Watch in Palawan

FESTIVALS IN PALAWAN

Palawan is an area which is rich in different Asian cultures, as well as a multitude of traditional and religious festivals. Each of these wonderful cultures frequently celebrates a range of different holidays and ritualistic traditions. This means that no matter where or when you visit Palawan, you should not find it difficult to discover a festival or event to enjoy with the local people. Read More: http://www.beach.com/travel-guide-palawan-philippines-events-guide

Anihan Festival

Photo from: https://explorepalawanblog.wordpress.com/anihan-festival/

Anihan Festival which is now known as the Palay Festival is one of the most famous festivals in Narra, where the products of the municipality are being showcased.

Palay Festival takes place in the municipality of Narra which is found in the southern part of Palawan. Narra is dubbed as the “Rice Granary of Palawan” and the Palay Festival is the people of Narra’s way of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest.

Palay Festival is conducted around the last week of October where the “sights and sounds” of Narra are being presented to the public. Read More: https://www.travel-palawan.com/cultural-heritage/festivals-in-palawan/

Arawedan Festival

Photo from: https://explorepalawanblog.wordpress.com/arawedan-festival/

The Arawedan Festival is held from January 23 to 24 in Port Barton in San Vincente, Palawan.

The Arawedan is an event that showcases the numerous tourist attractions of the place, including their beaches, marine reserves and parks. There are also several programs that highlight the cultural wonders of Palawan. Read More: https://explorepalawanblog.wordpress.com/arawedan-festival/

Balayong Festival

Photo from: http://puertoprincesa.ph/?q=photogallery/balayong-parade-2018

The Balayong festival celebrates the founding of Puerto Princesa by focusing on the Balayong tree. This beautiful tree looks almost like the Japanese sakura tree from afar, as it produces a spray of light pink flowers too. The Balayong tree is native to the Palawan islands, and the Balayong Festival is always started off with a Balayong tree planting ceremony.

The Balayong flower itself has a strong symbolicism for those in Palawan, as it represents feminine strength and beauty in the language of flowers. In fact, Balayong itself is a local Cuyuno name given to this tree, otherwise known as the Palawan cherry.

In 2005, Puerto Princesa’s local government passed an ordinance to make March 4th the official Balayong day to commemorate the city’s founding, as the Balayong Festival has always taken place around this date. Read More: https://www.shopback.ph/blog/balayong-festival-blossoms

Baragatan Festival

Photo from: http://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/travel/ph-travel/97154-baragatan-festival-palawan-puerto-princesa-philippines-travel

The festival will begin on the 22 May with a colourful float parade and a unique dance parade where various municipal officials depict their individual history, culture, and tradition through the medium of dance. 14 different unique cultures will be represented during this dance competition.

The festival, which will run until 2 June, will feature the rich tradition and beauty of these unique cultures as exhibited through artisans and craftspeople, trade fairs, garden shows, and various other competitions, including dance, singing, and battle of the bands competitions. Read more: http://palawan.ph/baragatan-festival-in-palawan/

Kulambo Festival

Photo from: https://tubongibaan.wordpress.com/tag/kulambo/

Every 1st week of December, El Nido celebrates the Kulambo Festival. The Kulambo word means “mosquito net”. El Nido, just like the rest of Palawan Island, is bundled with tropical forests, its temperature and humidity provides a perfect housing for the mosquito that carries the malaria. This festival is part of the campaign to eradicate malaria. Read More: http://www.traveltoix.com/?p=736

Light a Tree

Photo from: https://news.abs-cbn.com/image/images/12/02/11/fireworks-light-night-sky-near-giant-christmas-tree-puerto-princesa-palawan

Pagdiwata Tribal Ritual

Photo from: https://cherryjaneweb.wordpress.com/2016/07/30/the-culture-of-the-tagbanua-tribe/

Celebrated by the Tagbanua people of Palawan, the Pagdiwata Ritual Festival is an annual event of acknowledgement and expression of Palawan people to the deities same time seeking for the deitiesí help in healing the sick and in need and offer prayers for departed loved ones. People who are in serious health conditions also come to join the event, treated by their family being the medium of healing.

The celebration of Pagdiwata is also an opportunity to celebrate bountiful harvest or succesful hunting trip. The Babaylan, or the high priest, lead the ritual, since he is considered the most powerful and influential among the people of Tagbanua. They strongly believe that disrespecting the Babaylan faces severe punishment by the supernaturals. The festivity includes offering of wine, nuts, wax, food, and many others. Activities such as planting, war/hunting dance, harvesting, tarek, in a nightlong singing and dancing of lively traditional music, and the main feature, the pagsuldan, wherein the Babaylan gets possessed by the spirtis. Observance of the ritual is Tagbanua’s family affair to which they express sentiments and is important part of Palawan’s culture. The Tagbanwa, located in north and central Palawan, is the dominant ethnic group in Palawan. There are concentrations in Coron, Aborlan, and Puerto Princesa. Read More: https://groupmindorawan.wordpress.com/2015/03/10/festivals/

Pangalipay sa Baybay

Photo from: https://www.hellotravel.com/events/pangalipay-festival

The weeklong event “Pangalipay sa Baybay 2019” organized by the Puerto Princesa City government in partnership with the Association of Accredited Tourist Accommodation in Puerto Princesa (AATAPP) and a private production group will open on April 22 and last until April 27.

Pangalipay sa Bayabay is a Cuyono phrase which means “Merry Making at the Bay.”

The events will include a Baywalk Bodies and Midsummer (EDM Party) party with national entertainers present. Read More: https://palawan-news.com/pangalipay-sa-baybay-2019-set-on-april-22-27/

Pasinggatan Festival

Photo from: http://www.metrokelan.com/festivals-and-fairs/pasinggatan-festival_i3332

Pasinggatan Festival is located in Taytay, Palawan. It is an annual event featuring several ethnic cultures, songs, dances, native games and local cuisine, held every 1st week in May. Pasinggatan is a Cuyuno term which means luster or glimmer. The Festival is highlighted by a Street Dance Competition and the crowning of the festival queen. Read More: http://greedypeg.org/palawan/Pasinggatan-Festival.html

Puerto Princesa Foundation Day

Photo from: https://www.hellotravel.com/events/puerto-princesa-foundation-day

The celebration recognizes the establishing commemoration of the City of Puerto Princesa featured by balayong tree-planting, road moving and vivid botanical parade delineating the Palawan Cherry Blossoms from which the celebration inferred its name. A happy blend of socio-city, social, chronicled, and wears exercises are a piece of the run occasions.

At the ‘Tabuan’ parade tabuan signifies ‘commercial center’, ranchers fisherfolks, advertise sellers, brokers and purchasers grandstand the city’s best items and delight as a thanksgiving for gifts and plentiful gather. The week-long festival comes full circle with the granting services for exceptional achievements by eminent Puerto Princesans and the delegated of Ms. Puerto Princesa. The occupants of Puerto Princesa commend their establishment day each fourth day of March with an assortment of energizing occasions. It is said that it began as an unassuming thanksgiving for the gift got by the general population of the city, among whom were basic shippers, representatives, dealers, ranchers and anglers. Read More: https://www.hellotravel.com/events/puerto-princesa-foundation-day

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