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The Philippines are a photographer’s delight, with so many rich and varied landscapes and cityscapes on offer. But if you’re hanging around for the next few months, some of the best photo – and merry-making – opportunities occur during the various festivals that happen across the country.
 
Those making the most of cheap flights to Manila at the moment may want to book last minute and time their visit to coincide with the upcoming Kadayawan Festival. Revellers are soon to converge in Davao for the third week of August, as people come together for a celebration of thanksgiving.

 
This tradition started a long time ago when Davao’s ethnic tribes living at the foot of Mount Apo used to meet during bountiful harvests to thank the gods. Various farming implements and produce were displayed on mats and people sung and danced. Now, things are a little different and locals and visitors come together to honour the city’s artistic, cultural and historical heritage in a grand celebration. The event is a real spectacle to behold and a visual frenzy of lavish costumes.
 
October is a big time for celebrations here in the Philippines and one event that takes place during the third week of the month is the Lanzones Festival in Mambadjao Camiguin. A four-day bonanza, it honours the lanzones fruit, which is very important for the livelihood of individuals in Camiguin. This tropical crop grows in abundance in the area and it is said that the sweetest lanzones in the country come from Camiguin. This year, the event gets underway on October 19th and it will feature a range of attractions, including a street dancing competition, parties, cultural shows and a parade.
 

You may be spoilt for choice in late October, as this is also the time of the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City. Initiated in 1980, it centres around a parade of people all wearing smiling masks. Unsurprisingly, the event has earned Bacolod the title ‘City of Smiles’. As well as a parade, it involves a street dance contest, drum and bugle corps competitions, food festivals, sporting events and more.
 
It will definitely enhance your trip to experience some of the Philippines finest events in the next few weeks and months, but in fact, there are festivities going on across all 7000 of the islands for most of the year and Pinoys are famed for their joie de vivre . So whenever you visit, have your camera at the ready; you won’t want to put it down for a minute.

© Enrico Dee for BYAHILO, 2013. | Permalink | Be the First to comment! | Add to del.icio.us