Pahiyas Festival 2024: Bountiful harvest festivity in Lucban, Quezon
It’s that bountiful time of the year once again! Step into the colorful town of Lucban, Quezon as locals and tourists celebrate the 2024 Pahiyas Festival.
Commemorating every 15th of May, Pahiyas Festival is dubbed as the most colorful harvest festival in the Philippines. Both locals and tourists all over the Philippines join the annual celebration to witness the colorful home displays, watch the spectacular parade, get a taste of the local food, and experience the agricultural richness of Lucban, Quezon.
Through the invitation of Department of Tourism Calabarzon IV-A, the Village Pipol team took part in the beautiful Pahiyas festivities. Here are some of the things you missed out on:
Origin of Pahiyas
Derived from the words ‘payas’ which means to decor and ‘hiyas’ which means jewel, Pahiyas Festival is known to be the mother of all festivals in the Quezon province. Historically, Lucban’s town folks commemorate the end of harvest season by offering their abundant produces to patron saint of farmers, San Isidro Labrador.
This tradition is known for giving thanks and seeking more blessings in harvests for the following year. Eventually, they started to display these harvests in front of their homes and it soon became a colorful and vibrant festival celebrated during the summer.
Among the many items that can be seen are various produces, fruits, vegetables, and kiping, a local delicacy made out of rice used for decoration as well.
Millions of tourists and locals were expected to gather in the town to join the festivities. “We reached around seven million before pandemic but now, noong semana santa nagkaroon kami ng four million. We are expecting around four million din.”
Jenifer Babat, Municipal Tourism Officer of Lucban
Pahiyas 2024 Activities
Photo by Rafaela Abucejo/Village Pipol
Locals participate in a competition for the most creative and striking decorations in their homes. With the grand prize winning two-hundred thousand pesos, and other consolation prizes. A whopping 626 houses participated this year, with different decor that surely attracted many tourists. According to Ms. Jenifer Babat, Municipal Tourism Officer of Lucban, around one million worth of prizes for the Pahiyas decor alone was provided by sponsors.
Among the other activities this year were the grand parade, participated by locals and tourists alike. National enterprises and brands such as PLDT, Palawan Express, and many more present their parade floats, too.
The festival features music and dances that showcase the region’s culture and traditions, too. During the grand parade, students from different integrated schools held a street dance competition. The trademark song for the dance being Lucban’s tourism song, ‘Bayan ng Mga Superstars’.
Moreover, other highlights of the celebrations include: Banda Extravaganza joined by school marching bands, Lucbanin Superstars which is a talent show for locals and the showcase of local designer’s gown creations.
Furthermore, Pahiyas Festival also enriches the economic state of the town. Because of the thousands of annual visitors, locals have the chance to sell local food and products. These include Lucban longganisa, the famous pancit hab-hab, Kiping, and many more. Local restaurants and businesses also thrive during the celebration, giving them a chance to promote their products.
“Talagang ang panalo dito, ‘yung mga locals, gumagawa sila or nag-iisip sila ng ititinda para sa mga turista. Syempre, pati na rin ang business sectors, accomodations, laging puno ‘yan.”
Jenifer Babat, Municipal Tourism Officer of Lucban
If you did not make it this year, fret not because the mother of all festivals in Quezon will surely be packed by events next year. Make sure to not miss it! Experience the culture, food, and wonders of the Bayan ng Mga Superstars, Lucban.
