Pakol Festival 2018

Among the different festivals in Negros Oriental, the Pakol Festival 2018 of Santa Catalina is one of the most unique and awaited festival in the whole province of Negros Oriental. Santa Catalina is known for their abundant harvest of a variety of banana called “pakol”. Thus, as a thanksgiving to their patron saint, St. Catherine of Alexandria they celebrate the event with singing, dancing and even shouting! About Pakol Festival here

The Tourism Officers of Santa Catalina were kind enough to give us the invitation in which we could cover the event. The DC Team were well accommodated near the plaza by a local of good heart. This only shows how hospitable and generous the people of Santa Catalina really are.

Pakol Festival 2018 – Street Dancing and Showdown

The actual festival competition of the Pakol Festival 2018 took place around the town streets and the plaza last April 17, 2018. Colors of yellow, orange, green, brown, and blue flooded the streets as the sound of the drums washed the sleepy town of Santa Catalina. The Street Dancing Parade of the Pakol Festival started in the afternoon just after lunch.

Aside from the actual dancers and monkey performers, the people along the streets were easily amused by the huge floats and arcs that paraded the streets. It was blazing hot and almost felt like a dessert with houses and concrete streets instead of endless desert sands. Despite this challenge, there was no doubt the performing groups and the crowd enjoyed themselves throughout the celebration.

After the street dancing portion of the festival, the groups were lined up outside the plaza for the showdown competition of the Pakol Festival 2018. The different barangay groups were all given enough time to showcase their best moves and creativeness during the Showdown of the festival. It was hardly a competition for most people since all of the groups really did an amazing job.

Nobody needs to be a performer to have felt the excitement and the pressure of the competition. All the sweat and tears finally paid off! When it comes to uniqueness and merrymaking, Santa Catalina surely marks in the top list. Happy Fiesta Santa Catalina. See you all next year!

Watch Pakol Festival 2018 below!