Each barangay in the dynamic city of Valenzuela celebrates its own feast. Most of them launch celebrations during May and April to honor patron saints and bounty harvest. Listed below are the most notable feasts in Valenzuela that has gained media as well as international attention.

 

Valenzuela Day – 14 February

• Valenzuela Day, also known as the Valenzuela Charter Day, is a celebration to commemorate the conversion of Valenzuela from an urban municipality to a highly-urbanized city in 1998. It is a special working holiday set by law.

Valenzuela Foundation Day – 7 November

• Valenzuela Foundation Day is the celebration of the foundation of the town of Polo in 1621, which in turn became the city of Valenzuela about four centuries later.

Sta. Cruz Festival – 26 April (Barangay Isla)

• The Santacruzan was a novena procession commemorating St. Helena's mythical finding of the cross. St. Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great. According to legends, 300 years after the death of Christ, at the age of 75, she went to Calvary to conduct a search for the Cross. After some archeological diggings at the site of the Crucifixion, she unearthed three crosses. She tested each one by making a sick servant lie on all three. The cross where the servant recovered was identified as Christ's. St. Helena's feast day falls on August 8 but the anniversary of the finding of the Cross is on May 3.  In the Philippines, this celebration took the form of the Mexican Santa Cruz de Mayo.

Mano Po San Roque Festival – 12 May (Barangay Mabolo)

• In Valenzuela, San Roque is also known as the patron saint of the unmarried. There are countless tales of single girls who danced and prayed in the procession and who claim to have found their husband during the fiesta. The festival is almost similar to Obando Fertility Rites where romantic hopefuls dance to San Roque requesting to find their true love. Street dancing and procession along the city are the major thoroughfares in commemoration of the feast of San Roque, highlighting the customs and traditional celebration of the festival. This also commemorates townsfolk victory after the British departed the country following the end of Seven Years' War with Spain.

Feast of San Diego De Alcala – 12 November (Barangay Poblacion)

• Feast of San Diego De Alcala is the feast of the oldest church in Valenzuela, which includes annual boat racing, street dancing and different fabulous activities of the festival.

Putong Polo Festival – 11/12 November (Barangay Polo)

• A part of the San Diego de Alcala Feast Day, it is one of the unique food festivals in the country which features the famous putong Polo, the small but classy “kaka in” which was originally created in the town of Polo, Valenzuela. This rice cake was a recipient of the Manuel Quezon Presidential Award in 1931, which was cited for having an exotic taste and amazingly long shelf-life. The celebration includes a parade featuring artistic creations from the rice cake which showcases creativity among the residents.

Tagalag – May 10

• Tagalag is named after the phrase "taga nang taga" meaning to chop repetitively. Residents celebrate the fiesta every May 10 with a fishing contest. Some famous products are mostly fish like tilapia and bangus and desserts such as halaya and garbanzos.

Getting Around

When getting around the city, tourists have a lot of options. When traveling short distances, the tricycle can be a good choice. Another alternative is to take the jeep. This is the most common and most inexpensive transportation not only in the city but in the country. Tourists, who consider convenience a priority to expenses, can take the taxi.