Schedule of Negros Occidental Festivals and Events

 NEGROS OCCIDENTAL SCHEDULE OF FESTIVALS, FIESTAS, AND EVENTS

JANUARY – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Lights of Bago 

January 1, Bago City, Negros Occidental.

Bailes de Luces January 5, La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

The town’s celebration of Charter Day and a befitting culmination of the Christmas season, the festival is conceptualized as a festival of hope and thanksgiving. Thanksgiving for all the blessings received in the year that was and hope for a prosperous new year. Its unique feature is the use of lights or “luces” as props and adornment and its nocturnal festivities and street-dancing.

Sinulog sa Kabankalan Festival, January, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

It’s a riotous celebration showcasing the different “ati” tribes in their colorful indigenous costumes. The revelers, painted with black soot on their faces, frolic, and stamp to the rhythm of the drum beats in wild abandon. The visitors can get lost and immersed themselves in a gay, unrestrained fun in street dancing.

Must read: Sinulog sa Kabankalan Schedule of Activities

Dinagsa Festival, January 20-27 Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

A weeklong celebration every 3rd week of January in honor of our Patron Saint, the Señor Sto. Niño. Various programs are lined up such as motocross, drum, and bugle corps competition, Ginoong Cadiz and Search for Mutya ng Cadiz. These are a few of the many programs during the celebration. This spectacular revelry features “Ati” tribes garbed in their colorful costumes dancing to the fast and deafening beat of drums while carrying the image of the Holy Child Jesus. This year, activities will start on January 22-29.

Must read: Dinagsa Festival Schedule of Activities

Feast of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, January 24 La Carlota City.

These features cultural shows and traditional fiesta activities like procession, traditional games, and cultural presentation.

Kali-Kali Festival. Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental.

A harvest festival with a street dance showing their cultural heritage the art of “kali” otherwise known as “arnis” or “escrima”, the traditional martial arts of the Filipino people since the 7th century.

FEBRUARY – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Bacolaodiat Festival  Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

All throughout the world, the Chinese New Year explodes with firecrackers and dragon and lion dances and is observed with religious rituals, gift-giving, and family feasts.

Bulang-Bulang Festival  February 2-9San Enrique, Negros Occidental

Bulang-Bulang Festival is celebrated every February 2-9. The festival gives recognition to the gamefowl industry which is one of the major sources of livelihood of the town. Bulang-Bulang is a character dance presentation that depicts the life and character of the fighting cock/rooster.

Pabalhas sa Tablas February 11, Candoni, Negros Occidental

In 1935, Santiago “Tagoy” Diego lead the group to settle in “Tabla Valley” now known as the Municipality of Candoni. Santiago “Tagoy” Diego and the rest of the group of men cleared the area, cut off the trees of TABLA and created a road. They planted different varieties of root crops for their food and other needs.

Pasidungog Festival & Charter Day

February 11, Talisay City, Negros Occidental

A celebration of Talisay City for its conversion from a municipality into a component city. It features agro-industrial fair, multi-sectoral parade, cultural contest, city employees night and recognition of outstanding Taliseño in different fields of endeavor in the evening of the charter anniversary.

Charter Anniversary Celebration/ Babaylan Festival, February 19, Bago City, Negros Occidental

Must read: Babaylan Festival Schedule of Activities

Charter Day: Escalante People’s Day February 27-28 Escalante City, Negros Occidental

This event is the commemoration of the signing of R.A. 9014 into law declaring Escalante as one of the component cities of Negros Occidental, by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Escalantehanons prepare for this celebration every year for a day of activities to underscore the progress and how it miraculously metamorphosed from a sleepy town with a notorious past (Escalante Massacre of 1982) to a tourist and trading hub in the northern part of the province.

Pasundayag Festival, February, Valladolid, Negros Occidental

A celebration of good harvest and giving thanks to the Lord.

MARCH – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Kadalag-an Festival, March, Victorias City

The festival is in commemoration of the city’s Charter Anniversary which falls every 21st of March and goes with a week-long festivities. “Kadalag-an”, an Ilonggo term which means Victory symbolizes the triumphant fight of the ancestors against the Moro Pirates during the 17th Century. Though the annual town fiesta falls in April in honor of the town’s patron saint Nuestra Sra. De la Victoria. Victorias City adapted Kadalag-an Festival connotes victory against invasion & the long struggle of the local gov’t officials to make the people’s dreams a reality of converting Victorias into a City.

 Kisi-Kisi Festival, March, Ilog, Negros Occidental

Kisi-Kisi Festival is a yearly festival of the Municipality of Ilog celebrated every March of each year as one of the highlights of Ilog Annual Patronal Fiesta, participated by the different barangays of the municipality. The festival depicts the main seafood products of the town of which it is famous for like oysters, crabs, prawns, shrimps, seashells and fish. The costumes and headdress designs of the participants appear as being made of seafood products and the steps comprise of the movements of the above said aquatic products.

Sipalay Charter Day Celebration, March, Sipalay City, Negros Occ.

Marks the charter anniversary of the city.

 Magayon Festival, Last week of March, Moises Padilla, Negros Occ.

An annual festivity and celebrated during the town fiesta every last Tuesday of March. The festivity features various sports, social and cultural activities which include horse fighting, carabao beauty contest, trisikad race, composo, and many more. The highlight of the festival is the street dancing and coronation rites of the Magayon festival queen which is featured on the last day of the festivity.

Bacolod Liberation Day March 29 Bacolod City

This is a commemoration of the liberation of Bacolod by the American forces from the clutches of the Japanese Imperial Army. A one-day celebration wherein WW II veterans and their kins take center stage.

Himamaylan Charter Day March 31Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

American Liberation  March 29 Pulupandan, Negros Occidental

Sinigayan Festival, March, Sagay City

Must read. Sinigayan Festival  and Schedule of Activities

APRIL – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Banana Festival  April, La Castellana

A harvest festival that opens on the first day of April, showcasing the different varieties of banana which is abundant in the municipality. Booths, floats & costumes of muses are made from different parts of the banana. Farmers from all over the thirteen barangays in the municipality display and sell their harvest in their booths in thanksgiving to their patron, St. Vincent Ferrer, whose feast day falls on April 5.

Panaad sa Negros  April, Negros Occidental

The Panaad sa Negros Festival also called the Panaad Festival, is a festival held annually during the month of April in Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental province in the Philippines. Panaad is the Hiligaynon word for “vow” or “promise”; a festival is a form of thanksgiving to Divine Providence and commemoration of a vow in exchange for a good life. The celebration is held at the Panaad Park, which also houses the Panaad Stadium, and is participated in by the 13 cities and 19 towns of the province. For this reason, the province dubs it the “mother” of all its festivals.

Must read: Panaad sa Negros Schedule of Activities

Pagbanaag Festival April, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental

The festival was founded in the year 1999. Hinoba-an was founded in the year 1999. Hinoba-an got its festival name “pagbanaag” because people enjoy non-stop disco dancing and merrymaking from wee hours of the morning, from dusk till dawn.

Himaya-an Festival April, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

The festival is one grand fiesta celebration of the city. It is a weeklong commemoration of thanksgiving and merrymaking highlighted by a Tribal Dance competition and ‘Binayle sa Kalye’, an all-night street party. The festival showcases the warmth of the people in the community and their indulging love for fanfare and elaborate celebration of life.

Hinugyaw sa Hinigaran April, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental

An annual town fiesta dubbed as “Hinugyaw” to commemorate the blessed event. “Hinugyaw” a local dialect that means rejoice/revelry. There are thanksgiving, rejoicing, and jubilation to celebrate the event. It is said that the miraculous white lady saved the town from Moro raids using her miraculous power. She caused the rise of waves during the 18th century.

Pasalamat Festival April, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental

Held every Sunday nearest the first of May or Labor Day. It is a harvest thanksgiving celebration by the people of La Carlota City. The festival is based on an age-old practice of offering thanksgiving to the god of agriculture living inside Kanlaon Volcano. The celebration features an Ecumenical Thanksgiving mass, games, sports fest, agro-industrial fair and street dance competition with “tribes” dressed in indigenous materials and swaying to the beat of Sambita. The celebration is capped with the selection of  Pasalamat Queen.

Must read: Pasalamat Festival Schedule of Events

MAY – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Panaad Kay Sr. San Vicente Ferrer  May 1-2, Sagay City, Negros Occidental

Ugyunan Festival May 1 E. B. Magalona, Negros Occidental

It is celebrated every May 1 of the year also known as ‘cooperation’ was taken from the idea of ‘labor’ which is celebrated on the same day the festival is celebrated through sports competitions, street dancing, cultural events, and the week-long celebration focuses on the different fields of labor in the municipality. Each barangay showcases their respective local resources in a float parade.

Feast of St. Isidore & Farmer’s Day  May 3, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental

Balbagan Festival May, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental

Manlambus Festival,  May, Escalante City, Negros Occidental

Mamlambus Festival is a Visayan term meaning “to strike with a club” because fishes were then teeming around its coastal waters and that catching them could simply be done by clubbing with a wooden paddle. The festival culminates every May 30 annually with the traditional Street Dancing Competition, where people share a vibrant and festive commemoration of Escalante’s Culture and Heritage. Street party colors fill the city with fun and spirit of togetherness among the people. Escalantehanons who migrated abroad and other parts of the country return home to celebrate this annual big event of the city and honored in the “Balik Escalante” program.

JUNE – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Hugyaw Kansilay Festival June, Silay City

The weeklong celebration starts with the celebration of “El Cinco de Noviembre”, a one-day bloodless revolution in Silay which caused the surrender of the Spanish civil guards. The series of activities include a food festival, Know Silay Quiz, Ilonggo poetry presentation, agro-industrial fair and days for the multisectoral groups. Special focus in on Kansilay street dance-drama competition participated in by the 16 barangays. It features the “Legend of Kansilay”. Kansilay is a forest tree with purple-pink flowers where the city got its name.

Must read: Hugyaw Kansilay Festival

Silay Charter Day June 12, Silay City

It is highlighted by a flag-raising ceremony and charter day program; multi-sectoral parade; Parada kag Punsyon sang Lechon sa Plaza; a colorful variety show, kiddies rides, and sale of hometown delicacies.

Foundation Day & Feast Day of St. John the Baptist June 24, Bago City, Negros Occidental

Lilas Pandan Festival, June, Calatrava, Negros Occ.

Celebration of town fiesta in honor of Sts. Peter and Paul and the municipality’s festival highlighted with the dancing competition.

Must read: Lilas Pandan Festival

JULY – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Sag-ahan Festival & Charter Anniversary  July, Toboso, Negros Occidental

Sag-ahan Festival manifests its joy and sense of thanksgiving and gratefulness for all the blessings and abundance it has received through the years. Sag-ahan is derived from the original name of the settlement near the Sag-ahan River many years ago. In the local dialect “sag-ahan” means to take or catch fish with the hands. This method of fishing was popularly used due to the abundance of fish in the area.

Cadiz City Charter Day July 4 Cadiz City, Negros Occidental

Celebrated every 4th of July often times a five-day celebration marking the anniversary of Cadiz as a City. Sports competition, nightly musical shows, exhibits, dog shows are a few of the activities, the highlight of which is a parade of beautifully adorned floats of every organization, barangays, the school in their most colorful and most creative designs.

Feast of St. Mary Magdalene July 22, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental

Annual patronal fiesta, in honor of Saint Mary Magdalene

AUGUST – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Charter Day/ Udyakan sa Kabankalan Festival, August 5, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental

A weeklong celebration highlighted by an agro-industrial fair showcasing the indigenous products of the farmers and the cooperatives. Creative booths that display these products are constructed by the different barangays at the city plaza.

Candoni Town Anniversary August 2nd Sunday, Candoni, Negros Occidental

Manang Pula Festival, August, Manapla, Negros Occidental

SEPTEMBER – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL  FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Minuluan Festival, September, Talisay City, Negros Occidental

A three-day celebration in commemoration of the death anniversary of the city’s patron saint San Nicholas de Tolentino and in connection with the city’s arts and culture week celebration. It features Adlaw sang Kabataan, employees cultural night, visual arts exhibit by the local artists of Talisay and Negros, Dep. Ed. The cultural contest, Civic Military Parade, fun ride, and the Minuluan Street Dancing Competition in a live drum beat which tells about great heroes and rich history of Talisay.

Must read: Minuluan Festival Schedule of Activities

OCTOBER – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

MassKara Festival, October, Bacolod City

Bacolod City’s celebration of her charter anniversary through a civic-military parade, agro-fair and other activities highlighted by the world-renown MassKara Festival.

Must read: Masskara Festival Schedule of Activities

Moises Padilla Charter Day, October, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental

NOVEMBER – SCHEDULE OF  FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Tigkalalag Festival November 2, Isabela, Negros Occidental

Tigkalalag Festival of the Municipality of Isabela is celebrated every 2nd day of November.  Tigkalalag Festival does not depict pagan rituals but merry-making activity, unlike in the mid 40’s that children were threatened by their forefathers to be at home during the Angelus because they might be made as “daga’ or offering to the sugar mills to appease the spirits living in the “mariit” site. With the advent of modern technology and science, this festival is considered to be the past culture and is only reminisced to give recognition to the human and superhuman forces.

 

Pintaflores Festival, November 3-5 San Carlos City, Negros Occidental

A colorful and lively street dancing and dance rituals performed by dancers with tattoos and painting of flowers on their faces, arms, and bodies. The originality and gracefulness of the dancers make the festival a must-see for tourists and locals alike, celebrated simultaneously with Negros Day.

Must read: Pintaflores Festival Schedule

Sigabong sang mga Kanyon November 5,  Poblacion, Bago City

“Parada Sg mga Cañon.” This is a historical festival that commemorates the Negrenses’ bloodless revolt against the Spaniards led by Gen. Juan Anacleto T. Araneta in 1898. In commemoration of that historic bluff that freed Negros from Spanish conquistadores in 1998, the City Government of Bago celebrates that event with gleeful reminiscence and pride for a great General and his gallant men from this City who, armed with courage and ingenuity played a great role in the history of Negros. Spanish authorities in Bacolod capitulated after seeing advancing troops armed with rifles and cannons which were actually nipa stalks and rolled sawali mats painted black.

Negros Day November 5, Negros Occidental

A historical festival that commemorates the victory of the Negrenses’ bloodless revolt against the Spaniards in 1898. The Spanish authorities in Bacolod then capitulated after seeing advancing troops armed with rifles and cannons which turned out to be made only of nipa stalks and rolled sawali mats painted in black November 5 has been declared as a special holiday in Negros Occidental.

DECEMBER – SCHEDULE OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL  FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

 

Feast of St. Francis Xavier, December 3, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental

Feast of Immaculate Conception and Tinabuay Festival, December 8, Murcia, Negros Occidental

Negros Occidental Travel Guide

If you are reading this post, chances are, you are thinking of visiting the province soon. I have outlined below a travel guide that could help you in making a plan.

•   NEGROS OCCIDENTAL TRAVEL GUIDE + ATTRACTIONS

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