It is, indeed, more fun in the Philippines. Showcase Filipino culture in your home design by taking inspiration from the various festivals celebrated in the Philippines. Check out these mood boards we’ve created for some fun and colorful ideas.
MassKara Festival in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
There are no frowns left unturned whenever October rolls back around in Bacolod City and the MassKara Festival is in full swing. Distinguishing this Pinoy festival from the rest are ornately decorated colorful masks in cheerful expressions worn by festival performers as they take to the streets. Parades, dance performances, pageants, and parties combine to create a lively celebration where everyone is welcome.
Did you know the MassKara Festival was borne out of a need to uplift the people of Bacolod City during an economic crisis in the 1980s? Today the festival lives on as a symbol of hope, resilience, and determination.
Fill your home with joyful and optimistic colors that can uplift your spirit. Good energy reverberates so take advantage of it wherever you can. Don’t be afraid of a little bit of clutter! Even small knickknacks and silly décor pieces can have a huge impact if you feel happier whenever you see them.
Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon
There is always something to be grateful for! A grand and colorful occasion spanning several weeks in May, Pahiyas in Lucban is a harvest festival. The community comes together to honor the feast of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers, and to give thanks for a bountiful harvest.
Celebrating Pahiyas, residents of Lucban decorate the façade of their houses with fruits, vegetables, flowers, and “kiping” which are leaf-shaped rice paper in an array of colors. Hundreds of homes participate. One can also expect parade performers, marching bands, floats filled with produce, and even carabaos on the streets joining the festivities.
Embody the spirit of the Pahiyas Festival and let your creativity loose! Be grateful for the abundance in your life, whatever shape or form it has taken, and depict it in how you decorate your home. Get inspired by the rainbow of hues nature has to offer.
Panagbenga in Baguio City, Benguet
Also known as the Baguio Flower Festival, the Panagbenga Festival is celebrated every February in Baguio City, Benguet. A magnificent grand parade is the highlight of the festival with floats ranging from small to large—some several feet taller than a human! These are beautifully adorned with fresh flowers of all kinds.
Panagbenga actually comes from the Kankanaey indigenous people which in their language means “season of blooming.” Benguet boasts of a rich culture which includes those of the indigenous people of the Cordillera region collectively called the Igorot. This is also celebrated during Panagbenga with street dances and performances in traditional Igorot attire and regalia.
Incorporate flowers into your home too. And no, it doesn’t have to look tacky or dated. It’s easy to find tasteful flower designs and patterns in home décor nowadays and you can also take inspiration from floral hues by painting room walls in their color. As the Panagbenga Festival shows, flowers are for everyone.
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