Since the Filipino people is one of the most joyful and sociable races, it comes not as a surprise that we have a long list of festivals and celebrations all year round. These festivals or fiestas, as they are commonly called, are some of the most anticipated events in the country. Fiesta season, which covers the months from December to May, attracts tourists from all the world.

Filipinos celebrate fiestas for various reasons. These include showing gratitude for good harvest, commemorating significant events in local history, and celebrating the feast days of saints. Philippine festivals are characterized by overflowing food, joyous music, and colorful games and contests.

Fiestas have become an unforgettable part of Filipino culture. Not only do they uplift the spirit of Filipinos, they also help in the growth of tourism in the country. Below is a list of some of the popular festivals in the Philippines.

January Festivals::Lists of Philippine Festivals in the month of January

STO. NIÑO FESTIVAL

Nationwide-Every first week of January

A grand procession of over two hundred well-dressed images of the Child Jesus.

BULAKLAKAN FESTIVAL

Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila-January 1

Annual procession, parade of flowers and costumes.

ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL

Kalibo, Aklan-January 3- January 16

Scene of a yearly celebration in honor of Sto. Nino held every third week of January, popularly known worldw

ide as Ati-Atihan. So called because Aklanons, domestic and foreign tourists, wipe soot on their faces and done ethnic paraphernalia and masquerade around town as Negritos and make merry and dance in the streets to the beat of ambulant ethnic troubadours.

BAILES DE LUCES

La Castellana, Negros Occicental-January 5

is a street dancing competition held every 5th of January to celebrate the charter anniversary of the town. The participants are clad in colorful costumes using light emitting materials as props and moving to the fast Latin beat . This is followed by fireworks display and night-long merrymaking and dancing.

Banana Festival is a harvest festival held every April showcasing the different variety of banana found abundant in this town. Booths, floats and costumes made of banana are displayed during this festival.

LINGAYEN GULF LANDING ANNIVERSAY

Lingayen, Pangasinan-January 9

The Lingayen Gulf Landing Anniversary is one of the festival features the Philippines. It is the memoirs of Pangasinense to successfully liberate the province from the invading Japanese on January 9, 1945 under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur and giving tribute to the heroism of all Filipinos who fought against foreign invaders during World War II .

FEAST OF THE BLACK NAZARENE

Quiapo, Manila-January 9

A religious festival in the Philippines held every 9th of January. Barefooted men carry the life-sized statue of the Black Nazarene through the town while yelling "Viva Señor!"

ARAW NG KORONADAL

Koronadal-January 10

Translated literally, it means "Day of Koronadal" and indeed it is. Hinugyaw Festival, dubbed as the "Festival of Festivals", is a celebration of the different cultures that has dwelled on the fertile valley of Koronadal for many years now.

BINANOG FESTIVAL

Lambunao, Iloilo-January 10- January 16

Binanog is a yearly festivities celebrated by the Lambunaonos every January in honor of infant Jesus. Binanog means a pool of dance by the people in hinterland of Lambunao. The following are the Binanugan, the dance depicting the movement of the birds, the Inagong sayaw-sayaw, a celebration dances and the Dinagmay, the courtship dance. The dance movement is accompanied by lively drum beatings.

SINULOG (KABANKALAN) FESTIVAL
January 10- January 16 - Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental
Revelers garbed in distinctively colorful costumes with bare bodies painted in black soot take to the streets to the riotous and frenzied beats of drums celebrating the feast of El Señor Sto. Niño.

MAKATO STO. NIÑO FESTIVAL
January 15 - Poblacion Makato, Aklan
The ati-atihan festival of Makato dates back before the Spaniards came to sow the seeds of Christianity into this land. During the celebration, thousands of Catholic devotees from all over the country and those from abroad felt the urge to come and join in the wholesome, frolic and religious fervor of thanksgiving to the Holy Child, Sto. Niño.

PASUNGAY FESTIVAL
January 15 - San Joaquin, Iloilo
Celebrated every 3rd Saturday of January. This spectacular & exciting event find its origin on a hillside in one of the inland barangays of the municipality when resting farmers witness for the first time the fight between the two raging bulls, set loose by their herdsmen. It caught the fancy of the barangay folks and soon it became a popular entertainment in most barangay fiestas. During the municipal fiesta, the best bulls from different barangays are pitted against each other by weight category in a “Bull Derby”.

KAHIMUNAN FESTIVAL
January 16 - Libertad, Butuan City
Butuan”s version of the Sinulog of Cebu which has an equally lively and spectacular street dancing.

PANGISDAAN FESTIVAL
January 16 - Brgy. Tangos, Navotas
One of the highlights of the Navotas Day celebration featuring a street dancing and float competition focusing on the fishing industry.

KINARADTO FESTIVAL
January 16 - Buenavista, Guimaras
This cultural festival makes maximum use of the rich cultural tradition of the oldest municipality of the province. The presentation of songs, dances and musical tableau depicts the various influences Buenavista has been subjected to. Celebrated in honor of the town’s patron saint, Sr. Sto. Niño, Kinaradto promises the participant loads of unforgettable positive experiences.

BATAN ATI-ATI MALAKARA FESTIVAL
January 16 - Poblacion Batan, Aklan
The participants celebrating this festival wear masks made up of paper mache and prepared costumes. The festival is celebrated in honor of the Sto. Niño with merry making for a bountiful harvest, peace and prosperity, street dancing along the streets and plaza of the poblacion. A holy mass is celebrated before the start of the contest on Sunday morning proceeded with a parade of participating tribes.

CARACOL FESTIVAL
January 16 - Glorietta 4 Park Makati City, Metro Manila
Official Festival of the City of Makati by virtue of resolution No. 251 of Jan. 21, 1991 displaying the call of the local Government for the protection and conservation of our ecology.

BANSUDANI FESTIVAL/FEAST OF THE DEVINE SAVIOR
January 17 - Bansud, Mindoro Oriental
A thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest which coincides with town fiesta. It features dances and cultural presentations by schools and barangay communities.

SINULOG FESTIVAL
January 20 -Cebu City
Celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January, is Cebu”s biggest and most popular festival. The feast is in honor of the Holy Image of Senyor Santo Niño de Cebu. Fiesta Senyor, as it is widely known, is the most celebrated among Cebu”s festival where people converge along the routes of a grand solemn procession and partake in the gaiety amidst a mardi gras parade immersed in wild colors and the constant beating of drums.

PANDOT SA BACOLOD
January 20 - Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
A true to life dramatization depicting the life of Bacoleños during the Spanish times and the life of being a Catholic

BINULIGAY FESTIVAL
January 20- Jamindan, Capiz
A cultural and fiesta celebration.

ALTAVAS STO. NIÑO FESTIVAL
January 21- January 22 - Poblacion Altavas, Aklan
This day marked the end of the Fil-American war in Altavas. Since then, January 22 is being celebrated as an Annual Thanksgiving and Armistice Day in Altavas. Later, the date was adopted as its municipal town fiesta. This is the continuation of the joyous celebration of peace when Fil-American war ended in this municipality.

DINAGYANG FESTIVAL
January 22- January 23 - Iloilo City
A spectacular street merrymaking in honor of the Holy Child Jesus.

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PEACE AND GOOD VOYAGE
January 24 - La Carlota City
These features cultural shows and traditional fiesta activities like procession, traditional games and cultural presentation.

IBAJAY ATI-ATI MUNICIPAL AND DEVOTIONAL FIESTA
January 24- January 25 - Ibajay, Aklan
A religious feast in honor of its patron saint Sto. Niño, held by transferring the holy image of the patron from Ibajay Cathedral Rectory and enthronement at St. Peter Parish Church, by way of amusing the image from where it was originally discovered and brought to the church.

DINAGSA ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL
January 24- January 30 - Cadiz City, Negros Occidental
A revelry from sunrise to sunset, with ceaseless and rhythmic beating of drums. A sea of humanity in cadence with black soot “ati” performing rituals, all in honor of El Señor Sto. Niño. A spectacular fluvial parade where the Infant Jesus is carried aboard a fishing boat around the river, out to sea and back. “Dinagsa” connotes the sudden surge of good things washed ashore, such as the generous catch of fish and other sea foods, which Cadiz is famous for. Throw all cares to the wind as you street dance with gaily-costumed ati-tribes. Be game however if you find your own face painted black by playful ATIS.

SANA-AW FESTIVAL
January 28 - Jordan, Guimaras
Primarily a celebration of the economic endeavor that made Jordan what it is today. Sana-aw also pays tribute to the skillful artisans and the enduring workers in an endearing characterization through dance drama.

HINIRUGYAW FESTIVAL
January 30- February 6 - Calinog, Iloilo
An annual festivity of Calinog’s devotion to Sr. Sto. Niño. It is a nine day event and its activities consist of an opening salvo, food fest, live Sto. Niño contest among young boys not older than seven years old, Search for Lin-ay Kang Hinirugyaw and the contest proper for all participating tribes in three judging areas.

STO. NIÑO FESTIVAL
January 30- Malolos, Bulacan
The Malolos Sto. Niño featuring a week long exhibits, a month procession featuring more than a hundred caros of drivers Sto. Niño images.

BALOT SA PUTI FESTIVAL
January 31-Pateros
One of the highlights of the Pateros Town Fiesta celebration