The Filipino Spirit: What Filipino Festivals are Celebrated by Filipinos Worldwide

What Filipino festivals are celebrated by Filipinos worldwide? There is a very long list that will answer this question. Filipinos are known for their festive spirits and for the enthusiasm in having to celebrate even little things. For every month of the year, there is usually some sort of  celebration going on in the country. Some of the most celebrated events are the town fiestas. Town fiestas are celebrated to honor the patron saint of a particular town, and as we all know, the Philippines is largely a Catholic nation. Most residents cook and invite guests to their home for a taste of good home-cooked meals.

Another festival that Filipinos practice even if they’re somewhere else in the world is Holy Week. This is the time of the year, when Catholics pay tribute to Jesus Christ journey from life to death, and back to life again. Different cities have a different way of celebrating this event. In some cities, the people observe Holy Week rather quietly, while in other cities, there are grand celebrations going on. The Moriones festival which features the re-enactment of the passion of Christ is an example of how Filipinos celebrate the Holy Week. However Filipinos celebrate Holy Week, you can bet that there is always a good amount of fasting and praying during that entire week.

Dinagyang and Ati-Atihan are both a form of religious devotion to the Sto. Nino and a way for people to unwind and break free from their monotonous lives. Participants put black paint on their bodies, add a little bit of bold and bright colors and they wear head gears made of indigenous materials. Then, with feathers on their heads, beads and eye-catching shields, participants march down the street to the beat of drums. Bystanders feel the beat and enjoy the rest of the festivities.

Filipinos are not just known to celebrate religious devotions and events, there are also other festivals that they take pride in. Some are harvest festivals to help the town prosper and others are festivities that center around flowers. The Panagbenga festival of Bagiuo is known for beautiful and colourful parade floats that are made of blooming flowers. Aptly celebrated during the merry month of February when the flowers are in full bloom, the Panagbenga festival is definitely worth seeing.

Every year, during the 12th of June, Filipinos all over the world raise the Philippine flag in remembrance of their Independence Day. A flag is waved from the balcony of Emilio Aguinaldo’s house, the place where the flag was first raised.

Catholics are not the only ones to celebrate their religion in the Philippines. There is also an annual celebration of the Ramadan, an entire month wherein Muslims fast. Another event held in celebration of the spread of Islam is the Rajah Baguinda festival.

Christmas is a festival that is celebrated by every country, and Filipinos are no exception. During this time, Catholic Filipinos and their families go to church together and wait in anticipation for the birth of Christ. Early morning masses or the Simbang Gabi is a tradition followed by the majority of Filipinos. Hot choco and puto are the food choices after every mass. So what Filipino festivals are celebrated by Filipinos worldwide? All these and still a lot more.

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