Festivals in Cavite

Part of being a Caviteño now is to know their culture and the festivals in Cavite. With the help of a fellow mom who is now residing in Cavite, we have list down different activities and celebrations in the festivity of Cavite. It’s amusing to learn the various events in Cavite.

Festivals in Cavite

Irok Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: New Municipal Hall, Indang Cavite
• Phone: (046) 460-4708 (Trunk Line)
• Email Address: m1.indang@yahoo.com
• Website: http://www.indang.gov.ph

Irok (Arengga pinata) or sweet palm tree whose fruit a” kaong a” is sweetened and is a vital ingredient in halo-halo and sweet breads. This beautiful palm tree, whose fruit is also made into vinegar, grows wild in the historic town of Indang in Cavite.

Every Dec. 1, during the culmination of Indangas foundation anniversary, the elongated leaves of irok are woven into costumes of street dancers during its unique Irok Festival. This year, however, simulated leaves of irok will be used only to protect this vital resource of Indang.  The Irok Festival on Dec. 1 starts at 6:30 a.m. with an ecumenical prayer followed by Indakan sa Indang parade at 7:30 to be participated in by LGU officials, barangay officials from Indangas 36 barangays together with their muses, members of NGOs, government employees and students.

Kabutenyo Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: Municipality of General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite
• Phone: (046) 460 -4088
• Email Address: mpdc_gmacavite@gmail.com
• Website: http://www.gmacavite.ph.com

Celebration and thanksgiving in honor of Patron saint for bountiful mushrooms. Activities includes street dancing, trade fair and culinary contest with mushroom as main ingredients. The municipality is celebrating its 36th founding anniversary today, having been classified as a municipality on March 14, 1981 simultaneous to its 9th Kabuteño festival.

GMA, as the municipality is aptly called, is proud to have Cultured Oyster Mushroom as its One Town, One Product (OTOP) spearheaded by its Municipal Mayor, Hon. Walter D. Echevarria, Jr., in 2014 as an alternate livelihood activity for low-income earner-constituents of the municipality. In order to fully promote the OTOP, the Kabuteño Festival came to birth in 2005 and is now on its 8th year. The Hon. Walter D. Echevarria, Jr. strongly believes that by conducting an annual festivity highlighting Cultured Oyster Mushroom; what is, how it is being produced, its nutritional value,  would not only promote the product, but would enhance its marketability bringing more benefits to the municipality and the beneficiary-producers as well.

Kalayaan Festival

It is a 2 week-long province wide event held annually from May 28 to June 12. As its name suggests, the series of events for the festival are held to celebrate the Independence Day season. The festival was launched in 2005 with a variety of activities such as street dancing, float parade, beauty pageant and trade fair.

Kawayan Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: Municipal Hall, Maragondon, Cavite
• Phone: (046)412-1675
• Fax: (046) 412-0590
• Email Address: elvieandalajao42582@yahoo.com
• Website: http://www.maragondon.cavite.gov.ph

Maragondon Kawayan festival is held on every 7th day of September in Maragondon, Cavite wherein group of street dancers parade indigenous materials. An exhibit of Bamboo products likewise done in the town plaza.     The agricultural-tourism affair was spearheaded by the local government and participated by the locals who showcased their creativity in contests like the Arch/Kubo and Kawayan Parol-Making. The Karakol Competition also highlighted the event, where cheerful street dancers performed in their best costume and choreography.

Maytinis Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: Centennial Road, Batong Dalig, Kawit, Cavite
• Phone: (046) 484-7501
• Fax: (046) 484-0896
• Website: http://www.kawitph.tumblr.com

An original Kawit tradition that takes place every Christmas Eve, a dramatic retelling of the Virgin Mary and Joseph’s search in Bethlehem for a place to stay called “Panunuluyan”. This re-enactment happens on the streets of Kawit with different floats depicting different biblical scenes from Adam and Eve up to Mary and Joseph. The “Panunuluyan” takes place in several houses and is done in singing until it reaches the 300 year old St. Mary Magdalene Church of Kawit where the Virgin Mary and Joseph are welcomed by angels in a giant “belen” (Nativity Scene) which covers the whole Retablo or Altar of the church. The songs performed by the angels acted by little girls are mostly in Spanish and Tagalog.

Pahimis Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: A. Mabini St.,Municipal Building, Pob #6, Amadeo, Cavite
• Phone: (046) 483-3613
• Email Address: betteramadeo4victory@yahoo.com

Amadeo is known as the “Coffee Capital of the Philippines.” Also Called the “Coffee Festival” as way of thanksgiving for abundant harvest of coffee in the municipality. Trade fair, street dancing, beauty pageant, coffee convention are the usual activities done during the occasion. Free flowing drinking of coffee is offerred to everybody. Amadeo, Cavite — This municipality’s best and finest coffee and coffee-based products will be on exhibit in the three-day Pahimis Festival which will get off the wraps on Friday. Among the highlights of the event are  the ‘Amadeo Latte Art Throw Down’ and ‘Barista Challenge,’ street dancing and other cultural shows and a trade fair.

Regada Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: City Hall Bldg., Samonte Park, Cavite City
• Phone: (046) 431-0462
• Fax: ((046) 431-1655

Annual Cavite City Water Festival or popularly known as REGADA. The festival’s moniker was derived from the Spanish word “regar” which means to water or to sprinkle. Held every 17th to 24th of June since 1996, it is a weeklong celebration that is full of culture and plain old fun. Of course, the theme is water. The festival is comprised of games, street dancing, photo exhibit, trade fair, concert and water splashing. The festival is done in celebration of St. John the Baptist.

Sapyaw Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: Municipal Hall, A. Soriano Highway Daang Amaya I, Tanza Cavite
• Phone: (046) 437-1076
• Fax: (046) 437-1076

Street dancing are done all over the streets of the municipality with their attractive and very colourful costumes. Various barangays join the dancing in honor of the feast of St. Augustine.

Sorteo Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: Carmona Municipal Hall, M. Loyola St., Brgy4, Poblacion, Carmona, Cavite
• Phone: (046) 430-0817
• Fax: (046) 430-1001
• Email Address: lgucarmona@carmonagov.net
• Website: http://www.carmonagov.net

The word Sorteo means to draw or raffle. The festival was started way back in 1861 or four years after the formation of Carmona. Carmona was earlier called Barrio Latag. It was separated from its mother province in 1857. Carmona is the only municipality in the Philippines that observes a triennial draw of its communal lands among its locals – a practice that dates back to the country’s Spanish colonization period. It is celebrated every 3 years from February 16 to 22. Since Carmona was basically agricultural, the communal agricultural lands were offered to the farmers for cultivation through a lottery.

Sumilang Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: Plaza Libertad St. Corner B. Reyes St. Brgy. Poblacion 2 Silang, Cavite
• Phone: (046) 414-0202
• Email Address: lgucarmona@carmonagov.net
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MunisipyongSilang

The first Silang Prutas Festival was launched on Jan. 22 and will run for 13 days as part of Silang’s fiesta in honor of its patron saint, the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, on February 2. The festival is a way of thanking the Lord and celebrating a bountiful harvest. It aims to preserve the cultural heritage of Silang, promote tourism and improve local economy, and create a product identity for the town. Activities were expected to include nightly cultural presentations, singing and dance competitions at the plaza, band parade, street dancing and a variety show.

Tahong Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: Bacoor Government Center, Bacoor Blvd., Bayanan, City of Bacoor
• Phone: (046) 418-4136
• Website: http://www.bacoor.gov.ph

Cavite is well known for its fresh sea foods like mussels or tahong. In promoting this delicacy, the provincial government conducted an event/ festival called the Tahong Festival. It is celebrated yearly every September 29. Part of this celebration is preparing cuisines with tahong as main ingredient for an exhibit at the town plaza. There are also culinary contests and beauty contest. The celebration also tends to inform people about the culture of tahong by conducting seminars.

Different cuisines with tahong as main ingredient are on exhibit at the town plaza. Culinary contest are held annually. Various activities are done such as beauty contest. Tahong symposium and seminars are held for culture of Tahong.

Tinapa Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: Scout Torillo Street, Barangay Poblacion, Rosario, Cavite
• Phone: (046) 438-2690 / 438-0642
• Fax: (046) 438-2690
• Email Address: rosariomediaaffair@yahoo.com
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Municipality-of-Rosario-Cavite-115372575277921/

“Tinapa” is a native delicacy of smoked fish such as “galunggong”, “salinas”, “tamban”, “salinyasi” and “bangus” (milkfish), and is best eaten with fried rice and sliced fresh tomatoes for breakfast. The festival is celebrated to promote and perpetuate the image of Rosario as the place where smoked fish called “Tinapang Salinas” originates. Visitors witnessed residents cook Tinapa Flakes, Tinapa Bread, Tinapa Siopao, Tinapa Hopia, Lumpiang Tinapa, Fishball Tinapa, Embutidong Tinapa, Burger Steak Tinapa, Tinapa Sandwich in Trosong Salinas, Salinas Palabok with Tinapa Toppings, Pizza Tinapa, Tinapa Burger, Empanadang Tinapa, and Tinapang Salinas Express.

Wagayway Festival

Contact Information:

• Address: City Hall, Poblacion IV-B, City of Imus
• Phone: (046) 471-2984
• Fax: (046) 471-2732
• Website: http://www.imus.gov.ph

Every household display of Philippine flag is encouraged during the festival, and simultaneous waving of flags in the streets of Cavite. Different activities such as exhibits, trade fair, product display are held. Wagayway Festival is celebrated every 28th of May in Imus, Cavite to commemorate the Battle of Alapan where many Filipinos following the lead of General Emilio Aguinaldo risked their lives against the conquering Spaniards.

The Imus City Park also gave venue to the 55k Ultra Marathon race during the week-end May 20-21. Meanwhile, Imuseños were entertained with the Mutya at Maharlika pageant and the Wagayway Concert held at the Imus Sports Complex last May 19 and 20 respectively. A thanksgiving mass at the centuries-old Our Lady of Pillar Cathedral was celebrated early morning of May 22, followed by festival parade later in the afternoon and a variety show during the evening. Other festivities to be expected during the week are other cultural, musical and sports programs, a trade and job fair at the City Mall Anabu, the parade of the giant Philippines flag and the float of “Inang Laya” (Mother Freedom) at the city plaza and the flag displays along the district’s thoroughfares.

Among these festivals in Cavite, the Wagayway Festival is usually the one that we witnessed because we are from Imus Cavite. I found other festivals as exciting, fun, and rich in culture.