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The best food festivals in the Philippines are the Parada ng Lechon in Balayan, Batangas (every June 24), the Bangus Festival in Dagupan (late April to early May, with one of the world’s longest grills), the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon (May 15), the Strawberry Festival in La Trinidad, Benguet (March), the Tuna Festival in General Santos (September), the Lanzones Festival in Camiguin (October) and Davao’s Kadayawan (August) for durian and tropical fruit. Each one celebrates a single local food, so you know exactly what you’ll be eating.
Going to a food festival near Manila or Cebu? Book transport and tours so you can focus on eating.
Philippine food festival calendar
| Month | Festival | Where | What you eat |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Longganisa Festival | Vigan, Ilocos Sur | Garlicky Vigan longganisa |
| January 20 | Tuba Festival | Borbon, Cebu | Tuba (coconut palm wine) |
| March | Strawberry Festival | La Trinidad, Benguet | Strawberries, jams, strawberry taho |
| Late April – early May | Bangus Festival | Dagupan, Pangasinan | Grilled bangus (milkfish) |
| Around April – May | Manggahan Festival | Guimaras | Guimaras mangoes |
| May | Bawang Festival | Sinait, Ilocos Sur | Garlic and garlic dishes |
| May 15 | Pahiyas Festival | Lucban, Quezon | Kiping, Lucban longganisa, pancit habhab |
| June | Pinyasan Festival | Daet, Camarines Norte | Formosa pineapples |
| June 24 | Parada ng Lechon | Balayan, Batangas | Lechon |
| August | Kadayawan | Davao City | Durian, pomelo, mangosteen |
| September | Tuna Festival | General Santos | Fresh tuna, sashimi, grilled panga |
| October | Lanzones Festival | Mambajao, Camiguin | Sweet Camiguin lanzones |
| Varies | Halad Inasal, La Torta, Utanon | Talisay, Argao, Dalaguete (Cebu) | Lechon, torta, highland vegetables |
Many food festivals are tied to a town fiesta or harvest, so exact dates shift a little each year. Check the town’s official tourism page before booking.
Best food festivals in the Philippines
Parada ng Lechon, Balayan, Batangas
June 24 · LechonOn the feast of San Juan Bautista, Balayan parades dozens of whole roasted pigs through its streets, many dressed up in costumes. Once the best-decorated lechon is announced, the eating begins. Expect to get splashed with water too, since San Juan’s feast is traditionally a wet one.
What to eat: Balayan lechon, plus local tapa and longganisa. Balayan is about 2.5 hours from Manila.
Bangus Festival, Dagupan, Pangasinan
Late April – early May · Milkfish
Dagupan calls itself the “Bangus Capital of the World,” and since 2002 it has celebrated its milkfish industry with a festival that includes a street-long grill of bangus and cooking contests showing dozens of ways to prepare the fish. It’s part of the city’s larger Pista’y Dayat celebration.
What to eat: grilled bangus stuffed with tomatoes and onions, bangus sisig and boneless bangus.
Pahiyas Festival, Lucban, Quezon
May 15 · Harvest and kiping
Lucban’s harvest thanksgiving to San Isidro Labrador turns houses into displays of produce and kiping, colorful leaf-shaped rice wafers. It’s the most photogenic food festival in the country.
What to eat: pancit habhab (eaten straight off a banana leaf), Lucban longganisa and grilled kiping. For the parade and cultural program, see our Philippine festivals guide.
Strawberry Festival, La Trinidad, Benguet
March · Strawberries
La Trinidad, the “Strawberry Capital of the Philippines,” just outside Baguio, celebrates the end of its strawberry season with a week of food fairs, a strawberry lane in the municipal park and giant strawberry cakes.
What to eat: fresh strawberries, strawberry taho, ice cream, jam and wine. Pair it with our Baguio travel guide.
Tuna Festival, General Santos
September · Tuna
General Santos, the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines,” celebrates its fishing industry with tuna float parades, street dancing and lots of fresh tuna. Visit the busy fish port early in the morning to see the catch come in.
What to eat: tuna sashimi, kinilaw, grilled tuna jaw (panga) and tuna belly.
Kadayawan, Davao City
August · Durian and fruit
Davao’s thanksgiving festival celebrates Mindanao’s harvest of fruit and flowers. For food lovers, it’s the best time to try durian, pomelo, mangosteen and marang at their peak, with fruit stalls all over the city.
What to eat: durian (and durian candy), pomelo and mangosteen. More in our Davao guide.
Lanzones Festival, Camiguin
October · Lanzones
Camiguin celebrates the harvest of its famously sweet lanzones with street dancing, with performers dressed in lanzones leaves and fruit, plus product fairs in Mambajao.
What to eat: fresh Camiguin lanzones, which locals say are the sweetest in the country.
Manggahan Festival, Guimaras
Around April – May · MangoesGuimaras, famous for some of the sweetest mangoes in the country, celebrates its harvest with mango eating, fairs and local events. Full details in our Guimaras Manggahan Festival guide.
Pinyasan Festival, Daet, Camarines Norte
June · PineappleDaet celebrates the Formosa “queen” pineapple, the province’s prized sweet variety, with street shows, trade fairs and pineapple products.
Bawang Festival, Sinait, Ilocos Sur
May · GarlicSinait is known for its Ilocos garlic, smaller and more pungent than imported garlic. Its festival honors the crop with cooking contests and garlic products to take home.
Longganisa Festival, Vigan, Ilocos Sur
January · Longganisa
Vigan celebrates its famous garlicky, slightly sour longganisa during the city’s January festivities. Pair it with a walk down Calle Crisologo. See our Vigan guide.
Cebu’s food festivals: Halad Inasal, La Torta, Utanon and Tuba
Year-round · CebuSeveral Cebu towns build their festivals around a local food: Halad Inasal in Talisay City celebrates its famous lechon, La Torta in Argao honors its traditional sponge cake, Utanon in Dalaguete showcases vegetables from the “Salad Bowl of Cebu,” and the Tuba Festival in Borbon (January 20) celebrates coconut palm wine.
More: see our Cebu festivals calendar and famous lechon in Cebu.
What you’ll eat at a Filipino fiesta
Even when a festival isn’t about one food, every Filipino town fiesta comes with a feast. Families open their homes to guests, and the table usually includes:
- Lechon, the centerpiece of any big celebration.
- Pancit, noodles served for long life.
- Kare-kare, menudo and caldereta, rich stews made in big batches.
- Kakanin like puto, suman and biko, plus leche flan for dessert.
- Boodle fight spreads, where food is laid out on banana leaves and everyone eats with their hands.
Learn more in our guides to Filipino food, Filipino party food and Pampanga delicacies.
Tips for visiting a food festival
- Arrive early. Popular dishes and free tastings run out, and crowds build fast.
- Bring cash in small bills; most stalls don’t take cards.
- Book rooms ahead. Small towns like Lucban, Balayan and Mambajao have limited accommodation on festival days.
- Pace yourself. Share plates so you can try more.
- Stay safe: eat freshly cooked food from busy stalls and drink bottled water. See our Filipino street food guide.
- Join in respectfully. Many food festivals are also religious feasts, so give way to processions and Masses.
Plan your food festival trip
Many food festivals are in provinces outside the big cities. Klook bookings often include free cancellation.
Food festivals in the Philippines: FAQ
What is the most famous food festival in the Philippines?
The Parada ng Lechon in Balayan, Batangas, held every June 24, is one of the most famous food festivals in the Philippines. Dozens of decorated whole roasted pigs are paraded through the streets before everyone eats.
When is the Bangus Festival in Dagupan?
The Bangus Festival in Dagupan, Pangasinan is usually held from late April to early May, as part of the city’s Pista’y Dayat celebration. Highlights include a street-long grill of bangus and cooking contests.
When is the Pahiyas Festival?
The Pahiyas Festival is held every May 15 in Lucban, Quezon, in honor of San Isidro Labrador. Houses are decorated with produce and colorful kiping rice wafers, and visitors eat pancit habhab and Lucban longganisa.
Is there a lechon festival in Cebu?
Yes. Talisay City in Cebu celebrates its lechon with the Halad Inasal Festival, and lechon is the centerpiece of fiestas across the province. The country’s best-known lechon parade, though, is the Parada ng Lechon in Balayan, Batangas.
What fruit festivals are there in the Philippines?
Popular fruit festivals include the Strawberry Festival in La Trinidad, Benguet (March), the Manggahan Festival in Guimaras for mangoes, the Pinyasan Festival in Daet for pineapples (June), Kadayawan in Davao for durian and pomelo (August), and the Lanzones Festival in Camiguin (October).
When is the Tuna Festival in General Santos?
The Tuna Festival is held every September in General Santos City, the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, with tuna float parades, street dancing and fresh tuna dishes.
Are Sinulog and MassKara food festivals?
No. Sinulog is a religious festival honoring the Santo Niño, and MassKara is a festival of masks and street dancing. Both have plenty of food stalls, but they aren’t built around a specific food. See our Philippine festivals guide for those.
What food is served at a Filipino fiesta?
A Filipino fiesta table usually includes lechon, pancit, rich stews like kare-kare, menudo and caldereta, kakanin such as puto, suman and biko, and leche flan for dessert.
Hungry yet? Plan your trip around the next food festival.
Cebu-born travel writer raised between Cebu and Dumaguete, now based in Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao. Gio writes Best Philippines Travel Guide to help first-time visitors travel the islands with confidence.