Get ready to visit the harvest thanksgiving festival this May 2017 in the Philippines! As one of the biggest and most colorful festivals in Philippines, harvest thanksgiving (or usually known as the Pahiyas Festival) is celebrated by many local people and by foreign tourists. This festival is held every year on the 15th of May, in the city of Lucban, Quezon. Pahiyas Festival was held to honor San Isidro Labrador (Isidore the Farmer), the patron saint of farmers of Philippines. According to legend, he magically plows fields whenever he leaves the church, and the harvest result is always abundant.
People celebrate the Pahiyas Festival by decorating the house with many colorful flowers, fruits, and agricultural goods. So, for you who like photography, this will be a place where you can take a lot of beautiful pictures. What to do during this festival? Well, the best way to enjoy this festival is by walk along the procession route, which changes every year. The route always starts and ends at the Lucban church. You can also enjoy some typical food like Pancit Habhab and the famous garlicky longganisa (a sausage with delicacy of garlic and spices). Another thing to do is check out the hand-painted bayongs (typical bags of Philippines made by weaving dried leaves) and other artworks which made by local artist. Beside that you can visit Kamay ni Hesus Shrine and Lucban Cathedral, both must-see places when you are in Lucban.
It is always raining during the festival, and the people believe that the rain is a blessing for them. But if you don’t want to get wet, make sure you bring an umbrella or a light raincoat. To see the fresh decorations of the Pahiyas Festival, you should go early. Also so you can get the nearest parking area, which is usually located outside the town. If you don’t want to take private transportation, you can take a bus to go to this festival. After the Pahiyas Festival you can visit another nearby festival, which is celebrated on the same day but in Sariaya. The festival in Sariaya is called the Agawan Festival, which is an annual agricultural festival.
