Festivals in La Union
In along with San Fernando’s economic growth and San Juan’s expanding surf tourism, La Union has been dubbed a growing and developing region because of its vibrant festivals and celebrations. In La Union, every town has a different festival. This is an annual list of popular festivals in La Union.
Popular Festivals You Can Experience in La Union
1. Dinengdeng Festival
This celebration is linked to the beloved and well-known Ilocano cuisine dishes, such as pinakbet and bagnet. Gourmets and foodies are welcome to join in the fun as each Ilocano family has its own unique way of preparing a variety of dinengdeng delicacies. One of the most well-known Ilocano delicacies, dinengdeng, will be prepared in a large clay pot, and participants will make their best rendition of the dish. The most well-liked and reasonably priced Ilocano food in the area is highlighted during this festival. Due to the richness of materials in the province, the town hosts the Dinengdeng festival every year.
2. Feast of Our Lady of Caysasay
Every year, during the second week of September, the Filipino-Chinese community in San Fernando celebrates the Feast of Our Lady by bringing the original statue from Taal, Batangas to the temple for a week of events. Witnessing the area’s considerable cultural influence is undoubtedly a unique experience. Every year, the Filipino-Chinese community in San Fernando City and devotees from all over the world come together to celebrate the yearly pilgrimage of Our Lady of Caysasay from the Ma-cho Taoist Temple to the Basilica of St. Martin’s in Taal.
3. Tabacco Festival
This festival sincerely honors the tenacity and adversity of the Ilocano farmers. This local crop is deeply ingrained in the history and culture of the region. For this reason, the city hosts the largest-producing Tobacco Festival every year in the entire nation. Tubao, La Union is proud of its lovely tobacco cigar harvest, and both domestic and foreign visitors will surely love the lively celebration. Although the local government may be against smoking, they do not oppose the manufacturing of tobacco products, as tobacco is the primary source of income for the local population.
4. Baggak Festival
The village of Bauang, La Union comes to life for this vibrant celebration every April. For Bauang, “Baggak” usually refers to the “morning star” and the start of a new day. This celebration embodies the Ilocano attitude of unity and cultural diversity. Additionally, this is a fitting time and homage to greet and interact with the balikbayan. The Baggak (morning star) event, which has been observed yearly for the previous few years, has Bauangenians dressing extravagantly. The anniversary of the festival will have a different theme every year.
5. Pinadangan Festival
Students from elementary, secondary, and university schools, as well as many barangays and organizations in the city, take to the streets during the Pindangan Festival to showcase their vibrant costumes and greatest street dancing moves. Children march during the street dancing competition, grinning as they display their colorful outfits. Every March, the town celebrates in large part with the participation of citizens and children from different schools and barangays in the annual street dancing competition.
6. Sillag Festival
1st week of May (Taytay, Palawan)
The name of the Pasinggatan Festival comes from a Cuyuno word meaning brightness or luster. It is an annual celebration that highlights Palawan’s diverse ethnic cultures, music, dances, traditional games, and cuisine. A street dance competition and a pageant with the crowning of the festival queen are among its principal activities.