PHILIPPINE JANUARY FESTIVALS

Sinulog Dancer
(Photo from Sinulog 2009 Blogspot)

JANUARY 1 - BULAKLAKAN FESTIVAL (Muntinlupa City) - 45 minutes from Manila, annual procession, parade of flowers and costumes.

JANUARY 3-16 - ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL (Kalibo, Aklan) - colorful body-painted natives in procession complete with drum-beating sounds. Watch, enjoy, dance and listen to famous Ati-Atihan beat – “hala bira!”

JANUARY 9 - FEAST OF THE BLACK NAZARENE- devotess of the Black Nazarene flocked to Quiapo for the annual procession.

JANUARY 9 - BINIRAY FESTIVAL - Romblon (2 hours and 30 minutes from Manila to Batangas by land; 2 to 3 hours from Batangas to Romblon by ferry) - Sto. Niño inspired revelry and fluvial procession

JANUARY 11-15 - COCONUT FESTIVAL - San Pablo City, Laguna (2 hours from Manila by land) - a grand mardi-gras celebration which pays homage to Laguna's most ubiquitous crop.

JANUARY 13-19 -SINULOG FESTIVAL - Cebu (1 hour and and 15 minutes from Manila by plane) -- a grand procession of hundreds of well-dressed images of the child Jesus in a mardi-gras parade.

JANUARY 19 - CARACOL FESTIVAL - Glorietta 4 Park, Makati City -- a colorful and exciting parade complete with parties and merrymaking.

JANUARY 25-26 - DINAGYANG FESTIVAL - Iloilo City (1 hour and 5 minutes from Manila by plane) - a colorful whirl of thousands of people dressed in unique costumes dancing and chanting all day and night.