Pahiyas Festival in Lucban and Agawan Festival in Sariaya, Quezon

One of the most (if not the most) colorful festivals in the Philippines is the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon.   

Houses are adorned with fruits, veggies and other fresh produce, and kiping - brightly-colored, leaf-shaped wafer made of rice paste.

Kiping

Colorful Kiping

Ever wondered why they adorn houses with fresh produce during the Pahiyas Festival?   
   

According to the history of Pahiyas, in the olden days, fruits and veggies were offered to anitos as a form of thanksgiving for good harvest.  When the Spaniards colonized the Philippines and we were Christianized, the people brought the crops to the church for the priest to bless and also to ask for the intercession of San Isidro for another year of bountiful harvest.

Years passed and the church could no longer accommodate all the crops so it was agreed that the farmers just display the crops outside their houses so the priest can go around to bless them while they parade the statue of San Isidro. This practice evolved to decorating the houses and into the annual procession and became a full-blown festival and a tourist attraction.

But not all the houses in Lucban are decorated.  Every year, the town picks the route where the San Isidro procession will pass (to and from the Church) and houses along this route are the ones which are required to decorate their houses for the festival.

Lucban Cathedral

Here are some of Lucban’s beautifully-decorated houses.

In some houses, they even have special attractions.  He doesn’t seem to be in a festive mood though.  :(

Colorful buntings adorn the street.

And when taken from a top view, the buntings create a nice silhouette.

Some yummy food I found on the streets of Lucban.  

Sweet corn

Lucban Longganiza!  Yum!

Pansit Habhab

It’s the kind of pansit which you pour vinegar on.  Did you know the authentic way to eat it is to eat it like a pig?  Hold the banana leaf with your hand and eat it straight using your mouth (without using any utensils!).   If you haven't tried Pansit Habhab yet, it's available at Buddy's (there's a branch at Anson's across Landmark in Makati).

In another town of Quezon called Sariaya, they also have a different version of the Pahiyas.  It’s called Bagakay Agawan sa Sariaya, Quezon.  Bagakays are tall, young bamboo and they are decorated with goodies.  Bagakays are lined up along the streets where the San Isidro procession will pass.

Bagakays (young bamboo)

Goodies hanging on bagakays

We reached Sariaya around the time when the afternoon mass ended (around 5pm) which marks the start of the procession.  

Church in Sariaya, Quezon

As soon as the statue of San Isidro passes by, people pull down the bagakays (an act of bowing down to San Isidro).  

It’s total chaos when the "agawan" (grabbing) happens.

Some houses are decorated with fans and hats which they give away to people when the procession passes by.  

Establishments along the procession route are adorned with the products they sell and they give them away to passers-by too.  For example, a bakery gave away breads, some stalls gave away fruits and veggies and an ukay-ukay store – yep, you guessed it, threw away shirts, shorts and other pieces of garments!  Haha… 

People really go into frenzy grabbing whatever goodies they can.  And here’s a snapshot of the aftermath of the Agawan Festival in Sariaya.

Like all processions, they start and end at the church.

While at the church, I spotted this kid on tiptoe, dipping her hand for some holy water.  What a heartwarming sight!