'Mardi Gras' in Lucena

The street dancers with their colorful costumes

The Chami cooking contest

Just like other towns in the Philippines wherein a lot of festivities sprouting this month of May, Lucena City also celebrates a great feast. Conceptualized in 1986 by Atty. Nonoy Miravalles of the Lucena’s Bureau of Internal Revenue, the festival was organized to honor St. Ferdinand, the city’s patron saint.

As a bit of history and info:
Lucena City is believed to have gotten its name to pay tribute to a Spanish friar Mariano Ganja who used to live in Lucena Andalucia, Spain. In the olden times, Lucena’s first names were Buenavista, Oroquieta and Cotta. But on November 5, 1879 under the authority of “Orden Real Super Civil,” the name Lucena was proclaimed. And due to its continuous growth and development, it has become a city on August 6, 1961 through the assistance of then, Senator Lorenzo Tañada and the presentation of proposed law by Representative Manuel S. Enverga. Under Republic Act. No. 3271, it was approved by President Carlos P. Garcia.

Before the festivities usually last for 3 or 4 days but this time it started as early as May 21, considering that the date of the town fiesta is May 30, so it’s a very long festivity this time which eventually evolved into major events that attracts both local and foreign tourists.

Here’s the highlights of the activities:
May 21 - Himig at Galaw song and dance competition at the SM City Lucena's open parking area.

May 23 - was a day of beauty and talent. It began with a Milk Drinking contest, followed by Ginoo at Binibining Pasayahan Beauty Pageant at SM City Lucena’s entertainment plaza.

May 25 - celebrity performances by the rapper Francis M. and not withstanding the added attraction of Anne Curtis and Ryza Cenon and other surprise guest.

May 26 - Chami cooking contest wherein there are about 500 contestants representing the 33 barangays that participated. Chami is one type of pancit which uses Miki noodles.

May 27 - Street Dancing competition wherein the champion received P75,000 if I am not mistaken.

May 28 - the grand Pasayahan parade, this is what most people are waiting, gorgeous floats participated by popular establishments in Lucena such as SM City Lucena, Pacific Mall, Queen Margarette Hotel, Carlos Superdrug, Big Mak, Enverga University and etc. assembled in Quezon National Highschool and march their way to the town proper until they reach the endpoint (Perez Park). By the way whoever wins the Best Float will get P100,000 cash prize.

This years parade are equipped with beautiful floats which also includes the colorful and unique costumes of the street dancers and added attraction was the celebrity Anne Curtis and Troy Montero. James Cooper, a renowned hairstylist was also visible in the grand parade, which was a Lucenahin. Besides the highlights mentioned above, there were other activities going on in Pacific Mall, I’ve heard that there were also celebrity performances, such as those by Kitchie Nadal.

During this long celebration, at night the main streets of Lucena, Quezon Avenue in particular, were close to vehicles. Even the neighboring towns flock together for the “tyangge” scattered in the entire stretch of the main streets, not withstanding lots of live band performances of both local and famous bands at every corner of the streets which seems to be an October feast, due to beers floods. Men and women enjoy not just beer but mostly food in every minor street you’ll see.

More than the glitz and glamour of Mardi Gras in Lucena is the true essence of culture, camaraderie and harmony in the locality.