The Lanzones Festival of Camiguin is an annual thanksgiving celebration for the island’s bountiful harvest. It is held in the town of Mambajao during the third week of October, in time for lanzones’ harvest. The festival showcases Camiguin’s rich culture through street dancing, parades, product exhibits and beauty pageants.
The 35th year of the festival started last Sunday, (coincides with the culmination of Masskara Festival) October 19. This year’s theme is “Kinaiyahan atong amping Kalamboan Alang Sa Tanan” which translates to “Protecting the nature, Prosperity for All”.
Among the highlights of this year’s festivity are Kabog (bats) and Music Showdown, festival parade, Street Dancing Competition, Mutya ng Buahanan and the Agro-Industrial Tourism-Trade Fair (UGMAD).
Other activities include 160 Festival Walk, dance competitions, horse racing, sports tournaments, fun games and obstacle race among others.
It’s the only time of the year where you can see the fruit fairies come alive, swarming with beauty and grace as they entertain the crowd with glorious dance steps for the yearly ritual or the act of giving good bounty to the locals.
When you go to Camiguin to witness the festival, make sure to accept the “Buahan” that the locals will offer you because it’s the Camiguinons term for lanzones which is the sweetest in the world. The vibrant sights, alluring natural destinations and friendly people will make you enjoy the festival.
How Lanzones Festival Started?
Locals believe that the celebration started when a childless couple wished for a child from a lanzones tree-fairy. The fairy granted them a healthy baby boy but they forgot to thank her. One day, while their child was playing, he was approached by a suspicious-looking woman and he suddenly fell unconscious.
The couple though that the lanzones fairy enchanted their son so they decided to perform a ritual to satisfy her and after it, the child became well again. The following year, they invited the neighboring barrio to participate in the thanksgiving ritual.
Since then, the ritual has become a festivity in Camiguin and became known as Lanzones Festival.
Here’s the 35th Camiguin Lanzones Festival schedule of activities for 2014:
