Cavite Festivals

Cavite has a lot of colorful festivals that promotes cultural practices, delicacies and everything about the province. Every town has their own festivals to celebrate annually. 

Mardicas

January 18 : Ternate

Mardicas is held in the municipality of Ternate every January 18. Fluvial parades carrying the image of Sto. Niño are held and continue in the streets of the municipality and ends in the churchyard. Karakol and street dancing in beautiful and colorful costumes with marching band music are held.

Sorteo Festival

February : Carmona

Sorteo 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

February 1-3 : Silang

The first Silang Prutas Festival was launched on Jan. 22 and runs 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 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.

Pista ng mga Puso Festival

Feb 14 : Tagaytay

Pista ng mga Puso festival is celebrated every 14th of February in Tagaytay City. It is held annually to celebrate the town’s patron, Our Lady of the Pillar. There is a dance procession as well as marching throughout the city.

Pahimis Festival

2nd week of February : Amadeo

Pahimis is the Amadeo word for “pasasalamat” (thanksgiving) in the olden times. As a tradition, coffee farmers gave away his last can of harvest as a sign of thanksgiving, believing that by doing so, luck and abundance would come on the next harvest season. An eat-together gathering with neighbours will serve as the Pahimis before the start of business venture or relatives and friends were sent part or harvest of food as Pahimis.

To give semblance to the tradition, a coffee festival named after this cultural practice will be held annually for thanksgiving and good luck. The yearly affair seeks to boost the Amadeo’s thriving coffee industry and to position the municipality as one of the promising havens of investment in terms of agri-business and eco-tourism.

Kabuteño Festival

March 13 : Gen. Mariano Alvarez

Kabuteño festival is celebrated every 13th of March in General Mariano Alvarez. Kabuteño came from the word Kabute which means “Mushroom” in english. The town is to be known as “The mushroom Capital of Cavite.” Various activities include street dancing, a trade fair and a culinary contest with mushroom as the main ingredient.

Wagayway Festival

May 28 : Imus

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. Tagged as “wagayway” (wave), the historical Imus is the place when the Philippine Flag was first waved to signify a won battle.

Hijas de Maria

May 1-31: General Trias

A month long celebration held in honor of their patron Saint. Church is decorated with beautiful flowers. This is a yearly celebration of the people of General Trias.

Kalayaan Festival

June 12 : Kawit 

Kalayaan festival is held for 2 weeks from May 28th to June 12th in the whole Province of Cavite. It is the only festival that is celebrated in whole Cavite. This festival celebrates the day when the Filipinos declared their independence from the Spanish Government. And nowhere is it more appropriate to celebrate this than in Cavite, The Historical Capital of the Philippines. The first celebration was held in 2005 and ia held annually since then. It is characterized by street dancing, a beauty contest, a parade of floats, and a trade fair.

Regada Festival

June 22-24 : Cavite City

Regada festival is celebrated every June 22-24 in Cavite City. This festival is also known as water festival. This festival ia celebrated in honor of their pateon St. John the Baptist. Regada is a Chavacano word which came from the Spanish word which means “to hose or washdown with water.” There are games, photo exhibit, trade fair, a concert and street dancing. The street are lined with mobile sound systems and sprinkler in preparation for the grand drenching that happens at the end of the festival. The locals participate in this “paulan” (rain or shower) to gather blessings from their patron saint.

Sapyaw Festival

August 20 : Tanza 

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.

Kawayan Festival

September 7: Maragondon  

Kawayan festival is held on every seventh 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.

Tahong Festival

September 29 : Bacoor 

Tahong festival is celebrated yearly every September 29. 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

October : Rosario

Tinapa festival is celebrated to promote and perpetuate the image of Rosario as the place where smoked fish called “Tinapang Salinas” originates. Visitors witnessed residents cooking tinapa in various ways.

Irok Festival

November 30-Dec 2 : Indang

Irok festival is held during November 30 to December 2 in Indang, Cavite. It is done during the celebration of Indang Day. Float parade, street dancing, sports activities, lantern contest made out of irok leaves and grand parade is held in the town plaza.

Valenciana Festival

 Gen.Trias 

A local fiesta in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It also showcases the local delicacy of Gen. Trias which is called “Valenciana”, a Filipino Paella-like rice dish.

Sanghinayang Festival

1st week of December : Alfonso

Recently conceived to preserve the local custom of “Sanghiyang”, a dance ritual combining folk, religion and magic, performed every 1st week of December by the locals of Alfonso as thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.

Bangenge Festival

December : Cavite City

Long time ago its been a tradition of children in the city to go caroling with a paper mascot dancing at your doorstep. The mascots are made from large fruit/vegetable baskets usually just thrown in the public market and designed into popular characters. A basket is pasted with newspapers using cooked gawgaw paste then painted with leftover paints.  Also being paraded in the Bangenge Festival are giant parols made from recycled materials  and kunehos made from wires and Japanese paper with wheels as base.

   

Maytinis

December 24 : Kawit

Re-enactment of the birth of Christ every midnight of December 24. Held in Kawit, Cavite, all participants are in costumes and in beautifully adorned floats with the INA and AMA as main sponsor.

Except Bangenge Festival all photographs taken online. 
Credit to the respective owners.