Pahiyas Festival 2016

This 2016, one of my most treasured experience of my life is my very first festival, and it happened to be Pahiyas at Lucban, Quezon. This is one festival that I really loved to experience because I've seen it only in pictures and television, and it's so colorful and looking really attractive.

Pahiyas Festival is celebrated in honor of Catholic patron saint San Isidro Labrador, the saint of the farmers, and supposedly to give thanks and supplication for a wealthy harvest. I remember when I was young, my friend's grandmother will have this yearly novena every month of May in our neighborhood that went on for seven days, then we would have a feast or a simple gathering on the last day. I was one assigned to read one booklet of a novena and the prayer would last for about an hour or so. This novena was also for the same patron saint.

I was just too delighted to experience it this year. Scroll down the photos below:

The festival happens every 15th of May. A friend in the office happens to be from the same town so we stayed at her aunts house, we arrived there the 14th afternoon and went exploring a little before dark.

Some homes are still half-way decorated but we have already seen how colorful and creative their decorations were.The festive mood was all in the air, the surrounding was so alive, everyone all smiles despite busy preparing. I wish I own a house near somewhere here. The night before the festival it rained, and you know what most people believes when it rains on a special occasion? Blessing. Yes indeed!

From simple to elaborate, I felt that each home has put not just an effort but their hearts to every touch of decoration they created. The color and details were warm to the eyes, and shouting hospitality and friendliness.

The sun was a little high when we started going street by street. There were about six hundred homes (each participating house has a number, and the highest we have mentally noted was near 600) joined the contest that have said to have a price of P100,000 for the grand prize. We even saw some of the judges roaming around at the same time.

Some homes have fully devoted time and effort, and surely even money to decorate the entire house up to the highest floor. I bet maybe the roof was also decorated, lol!

Some decorations were designed so tourists can have the best photo background. My picture above has this beauty queen gown made of native materials where you can use the crown to have that "Miss Pahiyas" feel :). Really cute, this was one of my favorites.

The homes were all so lovely you have to take turns and give way with other tourist when taking pictures, You would not want to pass a house and not take a photo of your best smile in front of it. 

They use real vegetables here, and it is said that they are given free the day after the festival. Not so bad, you get a lot of free vegetables, and eat healthy too!

The heat of May sun cannot stop tourist from having their pictures taken in front of each beautifully decorated homes. It only happens once a year, and it seemed like the people of Lucban never run out of creative ideas each festival year.

I apologize that I cannot mention any affordable places to stay in Lucban because we stayed at a friend's for free. But I guarantee you the experience in this festival is priceless. After all, it has been celebrated for many years. You would not want to miss it.

Until our next Pahiyas adventure, hope you enjoyed this post!!!! :)