May2016
Smile
21
The
buzz
Here’sahandycheatsheeton threePhilippine festivalshappening in themerrymonthofMay
It’s fiesta time!
STREETPARTIES
CULTURESHOT
May15at Lucban, Tayabas, Sariaya,
GumacaandTiaong inQuezonprovince
A thanksgivingcelebration for agood
harvest, this festival isheld inhonor of the
patron saint of farmers, San IsidroLabrador.
Local housesbedeckedwith the season’s
produce, alongwithnativedécor that
featurescolorful,wafer-thin sheetsof rice
paper called
kiping.
Gethereearly in the
morning towatch theprocessionof the
patron saint’s image.
Pancithabhab
—noodles servedonapiece
of banana leaf, andeaten straight off the
palm— from the localmarket. InLucban,
takehomea few stringsof the town’s
famous longganiza.
FirstweekofMayatVigan, IlocosSur
A religiouspilgrimage, thanksgiving festival
andcultural showcase rolled intoaweek-
long, citywideparty.
Traditional horse-drawncalesasdressed
up for aclip-cloppingparade, followedby
a roundof happy-smiley street dancing.
There'sacarabaopaintingcontest, too.
Bigueñodelicacies like thedeep-fried
shrimp-and-potatodish
okoy
andempanada
make for adeliciousafternoon snack.Get
theseat the street stallsaroundPlaza
Burgos.
May14atPulilan, Bulacan
Anotherharvest festival, thiseventhonors
both thepatron saint of farmersand the
farmers’ favoritebeastsof burden.
Carabaosdressedup incostumesand
paradedaround town.Get agood spot in
front of thechurch to see thebuffalokneel
before the statueof San IsidroLabrador.
Specialtiesat theLaFamiliaRestaurant
(280DoñaRemediosTrinidadHi-Way,
Baliuag). Try the tamarind leaf-infusedpork
dinuguan
and theclassic
kare-kare
stew.
FEAST
ON
WATCH
OUT
FOR
WHAT
IS IT
WHEN&
WHERE
VivaVigan! Festival of theArts
PulilanCarabaoFestival
Pahiyas
Ifyou’llbe inTokyo fromMay13 to15, besure tocheckoutSanjaMatsuri, oneof
thecity’smostpopular festivals.Head to theAsakusadistrict tosoak in the lively
atmosphereandwatchasparticipantscarryover100
mikoshi
, orportableshrines,
around theneighborhood tospreadgood luckandprosperity.
Paradeforprosperity
WORDSBY
LESTERLEDESMA
(MAIN); PHOTOSBY
LESTERLEDESMA
(PAHIYAS&PULILANCARABAO
FESTIVAL);
CUIDADFERNANDINA
(VIVAVIGAN! FESTIVALOFARTS);
GETTY IMAGES
(SANJAMATSURI)
