LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Very soon, Pangasinan will carve a new name as the Festival Capital of the country with its array of festivals in many towns and cities in the province.
In Metro Manila, May 1 is a day of street protest among workers pressing for wage increase and other benefits.

But not in Pangasinan where May 1 is a day of swimming and family picnic along the province’s long stretch of beautiful beaches. Not only Pangasinenses have made it a tradition to troop to the beaches, enjoy the summer heat by swimming all day long and partaking of home-cooked food for a day of picnic at the sea during the first of May.

What used to be a simple thanksgiving for the bounties of the sea has evolved into a week-long event of trade and food fair, singing and dancing, selection of Pangasinan’s most beautiful lady. And then came the parade of Pangasinan’s festivals which draws more and more tourists.
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Each town has its own characteristics and traditions. In a sense, we unite everybody here by putting what we have,” said Governor Victor Agbayani.

Those who had established their own festival were invited to join the parade held in front of the Capitol Building here on May 1. On that day, thousands of Pangasinenses and those living in nearby provinces came and enjoyed the merriment as they watched street dancers gaily dance to the beat of the drums under the scorching summer heat, clad in colorful costumes and depict through their dance steps how their own festival came into existence.

Pandan Festival

Through the initiative of Mapandan Mayor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Pandan Festival highlights the unique product of the town, pandan (screw pine) from which its town’s name was derived from.

The first Pandan Festival in 2003 showcased the town’s agricultural wealth, a celebration of its people’s industry and diligence as well as a commemoration of the town history.
In 2004, Pandan Festival traced legends highlighting the origin and various uses of the pandan plant. Last year, the celebration focused on the status of the town as a community and the origin of its barangays.

This year, it featured its traditions and cultures as well as a one-of-a kind cookfest that exotic ingredients like frogs, bats, monitor lizard, among others.

Galicayo Festival

It is a celebration of the call of the miraculous Our Lady of Manaoag to build a church on a hill where she had appeared. A shrine was built where people make pilgrimage to pray with her.
Manaoag has since become the foremost tourist destination in Pangasinan. Galicayo is held annually every second Sunday of December.

It showcases Filipino fiesta traditions of merriment and revelry in a manner richly Pangasinan in character, flavor, look and sound.

Binongey Festival

From the coastal town of Anda, binongey cooking dates back during the “dappat” period in Anda. This was the time when people from the Ilocos came to this side of the country to look for a place rich in resources where they can freely acquire land.

Since they cannot locate bolos where they would cook their traditional “tinubong”, they used the available bamboo and coconut abundant in the town. The outcome was the delectable “binongey” which became part of Andanean’s fiestas and other special occasions and gatherings.

Binongey is made of sticky rice cooked with coconut milk and placed inside a bamboo and cooked in a low fire.
Binongey Festival was launched in April 2004 under then Mayor now Board Member Alicia Pulido. Today, it has become part of the town’s fiesta celebration.

Mango and Bamboo Festival

Under Mayor Julian Resuello’s administration, Mango and Bamboo Festival was launched in April 2001 wherein both major products of the city are showcased.

The plump, juicy and sweet carabao mangoes and the unique and artistic handicrafts made of bamboo take center stage in this celebration.

Street dancers in their most pompous revelry and festive mood and colorful costumes gathered and joined in the celebration.

Longanisa Festival

Known for its majestic and world famous Hundred Islands, Alaminos City also boosts of its unique lean meat product, longanisa.

With its distinctive salty and zesty taste, Alaminos longanisa gained its reputation as one of the best processed meat products in the country today. Considered healthy and delicious, it uses all-natural ingredients like garlic, black pepper, salt, achuete and other secret spices mixed with ground pork.

Mayor Hernani Braganza included the Longanisa Festival as one of the activities during their city fiesta on March 18 and 19 in 2004.

Goat Festival

Launched during the town fiesta in March 2005, Balungao Mayor Jose Peralta Jr aims to have the Goat Festival to showcase the town’s important livelihood which is goat raising.

In a bid to save the goat industry which was threatened by parasitism that led to death of goats, the municipal government in cooperation with various agencies launched a farmer’s livestock field school to provide goat raisers with the needed knowledge.

The project was successful as the population of goats in the town increased from 7,000 to 25,000 heads.

From then on, it has become the highlight of the annual town fiesta celebration.

Pista’y Dayat

Lingayen, the capital town of Pangasinan and the seat of the provincial government, holds the Pita’y Dayat celebration every May 1 in celebration of the bounties of the sea. Now, Pista’y Dayat is not celebrated in Lingayen alone but also in the other coastal towns of province that has their equally beautiful beaches.

May 1’s Pista’y Dayat has become Pangasinan’s answer to national festivals like Mardigras, Ati-Atihan and Sinulog.

Puto Festival

The town of Calasiao, aside from being famous for its miraculous shrine of Señor Divino Tesoro is also touted as the center of “Best Puto” in the country.

It was under Mayor Roy Macanlalay in cooperation with the town’s puto makers that the first Calasiao Puto Festival was held on Dec. 28, 2002.

Puto here is considered as the “white gold” of the town and sold 24 hours a day along the rows of stalls at the town proper . It is so delicious because this peso-size product is soft as a marshmallow, white as a snow, and has a distinct taste and the secrets of cooking it remain unrevealed up to now by its makers.

The event has encouraged Pangasinenses and those living outside to patronize locally made products.

Meanwhile, Dagupan City’s Bangus Festival which features its famous bangus (milkfish) product had its own celebration simultaneously with the one held by the provincial government.
Villasis town’s Talong Festival and Binmaley’s Sugpo and Malaga Festival failed to join.