Festivals in the Philippines in September

📍 Siquijor, Siquijor

🗓️ Mid-September, around September 17 (provincial charter day)

Siquijor's provincial charter-day celebration with a grand parade, the Solili dance festival based on a traditional courtship custom, and a talent night.

📍 Bongao, Tawi-Tawi

🗓️ Around September 25, during Kamahardikaan (province founding anniversary)

Tawi-Tawi's seaweed (agal-agal) festival, part of its founding anniversary, with Igal street dancing and a pageant in native costume. Host town can vary.

📍 Balangiga, Eastern Samar

🗓️ September 28 (provincial special holiday)

Commemoration of the 1901 attack by Balangiga townsfolk on U.S. troops, with a reenactment of the encounter; the church bells taken as war trophies were returned in 2018.

📍 Basey, Samar

🗓️ September 29

Basey's celebration of its banig mat-weaving and bamboo crafts, near the Sohoton Natural Bridge park.

📍 Surigao City, Surigao del Norte

🗓️ Early September, main street dancing on Sept 9; feast of San Nicolas Sept 10

Surigao City's thanksgiving for San Nicolas de Tolentino, rooted in Mamanwa and Manobo rain dances; known for its street dancing competition and grand showdown.

📍 San Jose, Dinagat Islands

🗓️ Last week of September to early October, around the Oct 2 charter anniversary

Dinagat Islands' week-long charter anniversary festival ("bugkosan" means to bind), bringing together the province's seven towns for culture and arts events.

📍 Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte

🗓️ Late September to early October

Dipolog's drum-and-band festival: marching bands from the city and nearby towns parade and compete in an invitational beat and dance parade.

📍 Iligan City, Lanao del Norte

🗓️ Throughout September; peaks on Sept 29, feast of St. Michael

Iligan's fiesta for St. Michael the Archangel, with street dancing and tableau competitions reflecting the city's Higaonon, Maranao and settler heritage.

📍 Almeria, Biliran

🗓️ September 1

Almeria's town festival on Biliran Island's west coast, marked with street dancing and fiesta celebrations.

📍 Calbayog City, Samar

🗓️ September 1–8, culminating in the September 8 city fiesta

Calbayog's festival based on the hadang, an old ritual dance offered for good harvest and healing; formerly Sarakiki-Hadang, it became the official city festival in 2025.

📍 Bais City, Negros Oriental

🗓️ Around September 10, feast of St. Nicholas of Tolentino

Bais City's thanksgiving festival of harvests for its patron saint, with street dancing including a fishermen's showdown celebrating the year's catch.

📍 Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur

🗓️ Late September, for the province's founding anniversary

Provincial festival at the capitol complex celebrating the solidarity of Zamboanga del Sur's cultural groups, with trade fairs and showcases of each town's own festival.

📍 Borongan City, Eastern Samar

🗓️ Early September, leading to the September 8 feast

Borongan's Marian festival reenacting the image's arrival, with a fluvial parade across the bay from Punta Maria, a procession to the cathedral and a street-dance competition.

📍 Cabarroguis, Quirino

🗓️ Early September, peaking on Quirino Foundation Day (Sept 10)

Quirino's founding-anniversary festival ('gathering'), where each of the six towns brings its own festival dance to a street-dancing competition, plus a crafts fair and sports.

📍 Naga City, Camarines Sur

🗓️ September: Traslacion on the 2nd Friday, fluvial procession before the 3rd Sunday

One of Asia's largest Marian feasts. All-male voyadores carry the image of Ina (Our Lady of Peñafrancia) to the cathedral, and nine days later it returns by fluvial procession on the Naga River.

📍 Dumanjug, Cebu

🗓️ Late September to early October, ending on the Oct 3–4 town fiesta

Dumanjug's harvest thanksgiving dance for St. Francis of Assisi; its name blends 'sinanggi' (abundant harvest) and 'sayaw' (dance).

📍 City of Malolos, Bulacan

🗓️ First half of September, marking the Malolos Congress anniversary (Sept 15)

Bulacan's provincial arts and culture festival, named after the bamboo welcome arch. Float parade (Parada ng Karosa), cultural shows, food fairs and concerts.

📍 Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat

🗓️ Around September 18, Tacurong's charter anniversary

Tacurong's cityhood festival of street dancing and field demonstrations, featuring brightly painted kudong headgear like those worn by early settlers.

📍 General Santos City, South Cotabato

🗓️ First week of September, around the city's Sept 5 charter day

General Santos, the country's tuna capital, celebrates its fishing industry and charter anniversary with a week of street dancing, parades and tuna food fairs.

📍 Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur

🗓️ Late September to October; feast of Our Lady of the Pillar on October 12

Month-long fiesta for the city's patroness, Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar, with a parade of lights, street dancing, a vinta regatta and dozens of cultural and sports events.

📍 Legazpi City, Albay

🗓️ Mid/late August into early September (Aug 21–Sep 6 in 2025)

Legazpi's festival based on the Bicolano epic Ibalong. Street dancers dress as the heroes Baltog, Handyong and Bantong and the monsters they fought. Concerts and a tattoo expo also run.

📍 Kidapawan City, Cotabato

🗓️ August 26 to September 1, the province's founding anniversary

Cotabato Province's anniversary festival of its tri-people at the capitol in Amas, Kidapawan: street dancing by the towns, drum and lyre contests and a travel and trade expo.