🎭 Festival calendar of Negros Island

Dates follow the usual schedule — confirm with local tourism offices.

January

• Dinagyang Festival — Iloilo City · 4th weekend of January
  Dinagyang Festival is a major religious and cultural celebration honoring the Santo Niño. It is famous for its powerful drumbeats, energetic tribal street dancing, warrior-inspired costumes, and spectacular performances that showcase Iloilo’s history, faith, creativity, and cultural pride.
• Dinagsa Festival — Cadiz City · Last week of January
  A lively celebration honoring the Señor Santo Niño, Dinagsa Festival is known for its colorful street dancing, rhythmic drumbeats, vibrant costumes, and playful tradition of face painting. It brings the community together in a joyful expression of faith, thanksgiving, and local culture.
• Lubay-Lubay Festival — Cauayan · January 25
  Lubay-Lubay Festival celebrates the swaying bamboo, bountiful harvests, and strong community spirit of Cauayan. Through energetic street dancing and colorful performances, it showcases the resilience, unity, and cultural identity of the Cauayanons.
• Bailes de Luces — La Castellana · January 5 (charter day)
  Bailes de Luces, meaning “Dance of Lights,” is a spectacular festival featuring dancers in dazzling illuminated costumes and synchronized movements. Its glowing performances celebrate local creativity, community unity, and the festive spirit of La Castellana.
• Sinulog sa Jimalalud — Jimalalud · January 15
  Also known as the Hambabalud Festival, this celebration honors the Santo Niño and gives thanks for the blessings associated with the town’s sacred Hambabalud tree. It features lively street dancing, rhythmic drumbeats, and colorful costumes inspired by trees, flowers, birds, and other elements of nature.
• Langub Festival — Mabinay · January 25
  Langub Festival celebrates Mabinay’s identity as the “Cave Capital of the Philippines,” highlighting its caves, natural wonders, and cultural heritage. Street dancers wear indigenous-inspired costumes and perform with cave-themed props, recalling the historical connection between the caves and the early inhabitants of the area.

February

• Pasidungog Festival — Talisay City · February, about Feb 7–11 (Charter Day Feb 11, a special non-working day in Talisay)
  Talisay's Charter Day celebration of its cityhood (1998). A week of local arts, culture and grand performances — school folk-dance and pop-dance contests (Pasundayag sang DepEd), the Pasidungog Queen pageant, awards honoring outstanding taxpayers, employees and families, concerts and fireworks.
• Babaylan Festival — Bago City · February 19
  Recreates the rituals of pre-Hispanic babaylan priestesses.
• Dinagyaw sa Tablas — Candoni · February 11
  Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes celebrating 'dagyaw' — teamwork.
• Salapan Festival — Pulupandan · February 15
  Fishing heritage, regatta and fishing tournament.
• Kali-Kalihan Festival — Don Salvador Benedicto · 2nd week of February
  Showcases arnis/kali martial arts and fire-walking.
• Bulang-Bulang Festival — San Enrique · February 2–9
  Dance inspired by gamefowl.
• Pasundayag Festival — Valladolid · February 28
  Harvest thanksgiving for Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe.
• Tawo-Tawo Festival — Bayawan City · February 17
  Giant scarecrows, the guardians of crops.

March

• Siquijor Healing Festival — Mt. Bandilaan, Siquijor · Holy Week (2027: March 21–27)
  Folk healers gather herbs and make traditional medicines during Holy Week on Mt. Bandilaan; visitors can watch healing sessions and herb preparation.
• Kadalag-an Festival — Victorias City · March 21
  Week-long charter celebration of victory over adversity.
• Sinigayan Festival — Sagay City · March 19
  Honors St. Joseph and showcases marine life through street dancing.
• Pasaway Festival — Sipalay City · March 31 (charter day)
  From 'saway' (copper) — remembers the mining heritage.
• Kisi-Kisi Festival — Ilog · March 25
  Shows darting shrimps and fish; honors the Santo Niño.
• Talaba (Oyster) Festival — Ilog · March (during the town fiesta season) — confirm the date with the LGU
  Ilog's oyster feast: bamboo tables stretching almost half a kilometre along the street, piled with oysters from the town's own farms in Barangays 1, 2 and Andulauan. Come early to get a good spot — it is one of the biggest food festivals of southern Negros.
• Magayon Festival — Moises Padilla · Last week of March
  Farm animals portrayed in street dancing.
• Pasayaw Festival — Canlaon City · March 19
  Honors St. Joseph with harvest thanksgiving dances.
• Kapaw Festival — Basay · Around March 16
  Harvest thanksgiving.

April

• Panaad sa Negros Festival — Panaad Park, Bacolod · April (week-long)
  'Mother of all festivals' — all 32 cities and towns of Negros Occidental perform and sell their products.
• Manggahan Festival — Guimaras · April
  Mango festival of Guimaras.
• Pasalamat Festival — La Carlota City · Last Sunday of April
  Thanksgiving for harvests with elaborate costumes.
• Himayaan Festival — Himamaylan City · April 24–29
  Thanksgiving for a rich harvest ('himaya' – glorify).
• Hinugyaw sa Hinigaran — Hinigaran · April 22–30
  Thanksgiving to St. Mary Magdalene.
• Pagbanaag Festival — Hinoba-an · April 24 (foundation day)
  From 'banaag' — light shining at dawn.
• Libod Sayaw — Bindoy · April 4–5
  Street dancing based on Philippine folk dances.
• Pandanyag Festival — La Libertad · April 27
  Harvest of pandan and bananas; feast of San Sebastian.
• Pakol Festival — Santa Catalina · April 25
  Award-winning street dancing; feast of St. Catherine.

May

• Manlambus Festival — Escalante City · May 30
  Recalls when fish were so plentiful they were caught by 'lambus' — hitting with a plank.
• Balbagan Festival — Binalbagan · May 10–15
  Honors San Isidro Labrador and dramatizes the town's name legends.
• Ugyonan Festival — Enrique B. Magalona (Saravia) · May 1
  Feast of St. Joseph the Worker; 'ugyon' means to cooperate.
• Handurayo Festival — Pontevedra · May 6–9
  Feast of St. Michael the Archangel.
• Guihulugan (Cara-Bell) Festival — Guihulngan City · May 25
  Story of a bell that saved the natives.
• Kadumahan Festival — Ayungon · May 15
  Feast of San Isidro Labrador.
• Ayuquitan Festival — San Jose · May 7
  Retells the town's origin story.
• Kanglambat Festival — Vallehermoso · May 15
  Feast of San Isidro Labrador.
• Baulan Festival — Zamboanguita · May 15
  Feast of San Isidro Labrador.
• Cano-an Festival — Larena · May 1 (food fair) · town fiesta May 2–3
  Opens with the 'Kan-anan ni Juan' food festival, then the fiesta of St. Vincent Ferrer; the name recalls the town's old name, Canoan.
• Saging Festival — Lazi · Town fiesta May 15
  Banana festival with a street parade showing how the fruit is used in daily life, held for the fiesta of St. Isidore the Farmer.
• Lubi Festival — Maria · Third week of May (around May 20–21)
  Coconut festival showing everything the 'tree of life' gives — fruit, palms and trunk — with a street dance contest.

June

• Mudpack Festival — Mambukal, Murcia · June
  Revelers covered in volcanic mud celebrate Mother Earth.
• Hugyaw Kansilay — Silay City · June 12 (charter day)
  Street dancing that retells the legend of Princess Kansilay.
• Lilas Pandan — Calatrava · June 25–30
  Celebrates pandan weaving; feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
• Budyas Festival — Amlan · June 29
  Fishermen's ritual; Saints Peter & Paul ferried by decorated boats.
• Yag-Yag & Gapnod Festivals — Sibulan · Fiesta June 13 · Yag-Yag in December
  Yag-Yag recalls sea creatures laying eggs on the shore; Gapnod is a religious festival.
• Dalit Tayasanon / Pasalamat sa Tayasan — Tayasan · June 13
  Thanksgiving to St. Anthony of Padua.

July

• Udyakan Festival & Sinulog de Kabankalan — Kabankalan City · Udyakan: Jul 27–Aug 2 · Sinulog: 3rd weekend of January
  Udyakan celebrates joy and charter day; the January Sinulog honors the Santo Niño.
• Sag-ahan Festival — Toboso · July 1
  Bare-hand fishing heritage.
• Sinulog de Tanjay — Tanjay City · 3rd week of July (fiesta Jul 25)
  Choreographed Moro–Christian battle honoring Señor Santiago.
• Pamukad Festival — Enrique Villanueva · Around July 15–16
  Dances that act out fishing and the life of fisherfolk, for the fiesta of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

August

• Maradula Fruit Festival — Talisay City · Mid-year fruit season (around June–September) — confirm dates with Talisay City Tourism
  A local harvest celebration of the fruit orchards in the uplands of Talisay, around Sitio Maradula in Barangay Concepcion, featuring freshly picked marang, rambutan, durian and lanzones.
• Manang Pula Festival — Manapla · August 15–16
  Honors Manang Pula and patron San Roque.
• Bakon Festival — Bacong · August 28
  Feast of St. Augustine and the 'rise up' legend.
• Bugwas Festival — San Juan · Town fiesta August 28
  'Bugwas' means water gushing from the ground — a wish for good harvests and catches — for the fiesta of St. Augustine.

September

• Araw ng Siquijor — Province-wide, Siquijor · September 17
  Founding day of Siquijor province (1971), with the six towns' festival dances in one week of celebrations.
• Minulu-an Festival — Talisay City · September 1–10 (main events Sept 3–10; feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino Sept 10)
  Talisay's 10-day annual fiesta and cultural celebration in honor of its patron saint, San Nicolas de Tolentino. It recalls the city's old name, Minulu-an, and the heroic defense led by Kapitan Sabino 'Sabi' Pangantihon against Moro raiders. Highlights: barangay street dancing and a ritual dance-drama showdown at the public plaza, cultural parades, the pre-festival exhibit and agro-trade fair, the Himos ni Kulas heirloom food festival and community food hubs.
• Hudyaka sa Bais — Bais City · September (fiesta Sept 10)
  Mardi gras with floats and street dancing.
• Kinaiyahan Festival — Dauin · September 10
  Celebrates nature; feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino.

October

• MassKara Festival — Bacolod City · October, climax 4th Sunday
  The 'Festival of Smiles'.
• Buglasan Festival — Dumaguete City · October
  Negros Oriental's 'festival of festivals', named after Buglas, the island's ancient name.
• MassKara Festival — Bacolod City · Whole of October, climax on the 4th Sunday
  Dancers in smiling masks and bright costumes fill Lacson Street; street parties, food and music throughout October.
• Hambabalud Festival — Jimalalud · Performed at the provincial Buglasan Festival in Dumaguete (October)
  Named after the tall hambabalud trees of Jimalalud, this street-dance festival is the town's entry to Negros Oriental's 'festival of festivals'.
• Mantuod / Anihan Festival — Manjuyod · October 4
  Harvest celebration; feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
• Yamog Festival — Pamplona · October 12
  'Yamog' means dew; feast of Our Lady of the Pillar.
• Kasaulogan Festival — Valencia · October 12 (fiesta)
  Feast of Our Lady of the Abandoned.
• Dilaab Festival — Siquijor · October 3–4 (town fiesta October 4)
  The 'fire festival' recalls the island's old name, Isla de Fuego, and honors the town's patron, St. Francis of Assisi — one of the biggest fiestas on the island.

November

• Negros Day (Cinco de Noviembre) — Province-wide, Talisay & Bacolod · November 5
  Commemorates the 1898 uprising led by Gen. Aniceto Lacson and Gen. Juan Araneta. Special non-working holiday in Negros Occidental.
• Pintaflores Festival — San Carlos City · November 5
  From a legend of a princess healed by flower tattoos.
• Kalag-Kalag Festival — Isabela · November 2
  Celebrates life beyond death on All Souls' Day.
• Sandurot Festival · Buglasan (provincial) — Dumaguete City · Sandurot: 3rd week of November · Buglasan: October
  Sandurot welcomes the cultures that shaped the city; Buglasan is Negros Oriental's 'festival of festivals'.

December

• Tinabu-ay Festival — Murcia · December 8
  Feast of the Immaculate Conception and harvest thanksgiving.
• Inagta Festival — Siaton · December 6
  Feast of San Nicolas de Bari.