Lubay-Lubay Festival

 Good day everyone. Before I start let me ask you a question.Are you a fan of street dancing? Colorful costumes and night parties? Then you must visit Cauayan in Negros Occidental and witness the annual and locally famed Lubay-Lubay festival.

Credit to the owner of this photo

Cauayan got its name from bamboo thickets abundant in the area. Spelled as “Kawayan” (Tagalog term of Bamboo) during the Spanish colonization and eventually became Cauayan during the American occupation. Bamboos are naturally tall and thin and tend to bend, thus the Lubay-Lubay (bend) Festival was founded.

Credit to the owner of this photo

Credit to the owner of this photo

Credit to the owner of this photo

Lubay-Lubay Festival is a thanksgiving celebration of the locals' abundant and bountiful harvest. It portrays and preserve the early culture of Cauayanons in facing adversities, hardships and difficulties as well as abundance, plenty, prosperity and sufficiency, and to foster the spirit of unity, cooperation, camaraderie and thanksgiving especially for the blessings endowed by the Almighty.

It is a month-long celebration (for the locals). The festival officially starts on January 17 up until the highlight which is January 25. During that day, people from 25 Barangays gather in the Poblacion proper and witness the festive and colorful parade of street dancers as they compete, dancing to the beat of bamboo-made band instruments. Another highlight of the event is the Lubay-Lubay Pageant as the beautiful ladies from 25 barangays compete to bring home the Lubay-Lubay Queen title and the crown. 

source: thetravelersluggage.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/lubay-lubay-festival-cauayan-negros-occidental/