Eli DhiansanTop 3 must-experience festivals in Pangasinan
There are more to Festival Event Places in Pangasinan than puto calasiao and Our Lady of Manaoag. Though I must admit that growing up, I knew of Pangasinan because of the latter. My family and #IAmAnEventurer self are devotees of Our Lady of Manaoag and my parents are glad to hit the road and travel overnight from Lucena, Quezon to Pangasinan on a monthly basis. Mind you, these are pre ScTEX and TPLEX days. I can vividly recall my younger self loathing the trip because I can’t sleep well as I have to squeeze and fight for ample sleeping space in the back seat of the car among my younger brother and sisters. We would arrive at the Church at 3 or 4 a.m. (more sleeping time in the car yay) and we would hear the 5 a.m. mass. After which, I get to convince my parents to buy me a pack of puto calasiao. Trust me when I say that eating puto calasiao feels like heaven is melting in your mouth. But like what I said in the first sentence, festival event places in Pangasinan are worthy of exploration, and add to that the fact that they are easily accessible too through TPLEX. #LiveLifeShareMoments and let’s take the tour.
People scrambling to have a taste of mango pie during Mango-Bamboo Festival 2011.
Here are the following Festival Event Places in Pangasinan worth celebrating
1. Pistay Dayat
The event that launched a hundred ships, Pistay Dayat (Sea Festival) is a celebration of bountiful harvest and abundant fishing of the province. It is celebrated for two weeks starting 3rd week of April, always held at Lingayen Beach in the town of Lingayen, Pangasinan. What used to be a small celebration grew into grand popularity as the province attracted hundreds of spectators during the festival. In 2015, Pistay Dayat was ranked by the Department of Tourism as first runner up (best tourism event – Festival category) during the Pearl Awards. Other activities that makes the festival a must-experience among Eventurers include Limgas na Pangasinan (pageantry), sand sculpting competition, art exhibits, beach parties, and other exciting events.
2. Dagupan Bangus Festival
From Lingayen, Pangasinan, take a 30-minute land trip going to Dagupan to experience Bangus Festival. It is celebrated before the onset of Pistay Dayat, and lasts for two weeks. Bangus (milkfish) is abundant in Dagupan, and the festival positions itself as the Bangus Capital of the World. Fall in line if you want to have a taste of the longest barbecue party, Kalutan ed Dagupan. Guinness Book of World Records attest to that fact. You can also find 101 ways to enjoy your bangus. Who says you came here only for the bangus? You can also bask in the celebration of the colorful street dancing competition, Gilon! Gilon! ed Dalan. Other activities such as street parties, trade fairs, sports fests, beauty contests, and band concerts, to name a few, will also delight festival goers.
3. Mango-Bamboo Festival and Trade Fair
It is possible to reach San Carlos, Pangasinan in less than an hour from Dagupan. With the Mango-Bamboo Festival and Trade Fair, it’s like hitting two birds with one stone. The week-long celebration is held on the third week of April to position San Carlos as a major trading center of bamboo-based furniture and products, as well as promote the best tasting carabao-mangoes of the city. The main goal of the festival is to strengthen the city’s image as a viable source for the aforementioned products, thereby increasing work production and income of the locals. Apart from the trade fair, the street dancing is a must-see sight to behold.
You can also find out about other festivities happening in the Philippines. You know where to go: www.YuneOh.com!
