Bulak festival
TypeReligious/cultural
CelebrationsStreet dance,Parade of floats
DateJanuary 22

Bulak Festival

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Bulak festival is an annual celebration held every 23rd of January in San Ildefonso,Bulacan,Philippines. The festival is celebrated to honor the town’s patron saint, San Ildefonso (Saint Ildefonsus) as well as the town’s most abundant product, the “kapok" plant also known as “bulak” or cotton.

History

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San Ildefonso

The municipality of San Ildefonso,is located in the province of Bulacan,Philippines and is the origin of the Bulak festival.

Because of the abundant production of bulak or cotton,the town was called bulak until a chapel was built. The first Filipino priest of the town then changed the town's name to San Ildefonso to give respect to the town's patron Saint San Ildefonso and the king of Spain Alfonso XII.

The town started celebrating the festival to honor Saint Ildefonso and the bountiful production of cotton.

Ethymology

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Cotton

Philippines is considered as the Capital of the World’s Festivities because of the uncountable numbers of festival held by different towns,cities,provinces,and villages. The town of San Ildefonso, Bulacan celebrates the Bulak festival. Bulak festival came from the word "bulak" also known as cotton. This is because of the town's abundant production of the plant.

Bulak/Cotton

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Is a plant that commonly grows in tropical regions and has fibers that can be made into fabric.

Events

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The events that happen in the Bulak festival[1] are mostly street dances and parade of floats. It is full of people who are dancing in the parade and around the town who are there to watch the awesome parade. Since this festival is the celebration of the town's patron, the decorations of the floats and costumes of the dancers revolve around San Ildefonso and also the kapok/bulak plant. The parade is celebrated with street dancers with colorful costumes and incredible dances, In addition, they also have the parade of floats which are primarily decorated with cotton made into various shapes like vegetables, flowers, wings, and vestments of an image of San Ildefonso. This is a way to give honor to the cotton plant,the town's patron Saint and to show the creativity of the residents.

  1. ^ Gala, San Josenyong (2018-01-23). "San Josenyong Gala: Alay kay San Ildefonso : Bulak Festival 2018!". San Josenyong Gala. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
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