Sillag Festival, also known as Sillag Poro Point Festival of Lights, is a tourism and summer festival held at Poro Point Freeport Zone in the city of San Fernando, La Union, Philippines generally taking place every first week of April.
Etymology
Sillag Festival comes from sillag, an Ilokano word for moonbeam or lunar light.
History of Sillag Festival
Sillag Festival was launched on April 2012. The event is a partnership between Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC), a subsidiary of Bases Conversion and Development Authority, and the Provincial Government of La Union.
This annual event is aimed to boost tourism in the northern region, bolster the development of the local business and trade scene, and put La Union on the map as a must-visit destination. It attracts over a hundred thousand visitors each year, offering both a spectacle and an outlet for celebration of culture and heritage within an investment zone.
PPMC is the management behind the Poro Point Freeport Zone. Through an agreement with the Philippine Coast Guard in 2012, it also looked after the iconic Poro Point lighthouse, a landmark that has served as an aid for sea navigation since the Spanish colonial times.
Sillag Festival Activities
The first Sillag Festival was scheduled in April 2012. In the following two years, it was slated in March. Since 2015, it has been scheduled for three days during the first weekend of April.
| Year | Sillag Festival Schedule |
|---|---|
| 2019 | April 5 – 7 |
| 2018 | April 6 – 8 |
| 2017 | April 7 – 9 |
| 2016 | April 8 – 10 |
| 2015 | April 9 – 12 |
| 2014 | March 7 – 8 |
| 2013 | March 9 – 10 |
| 2012 | April 28 |
The highlight is the spectacle of light and nighttime illumination in air, water, and land in the festival venue. Among the awaited mainstays of the festival are the Ceremonial Lighting of the Sillag Village, Sillag Delights Trade and Food Fair (a marketplace filled with local treats and goodies where you can shop and taste delicious food), lights parade and pyromusical show, street dancing competition, fluvial parade, and sky lantern release. Other activities includes air shows, concerts, presentations, etc.
How to reach San Fernando, La Union
San Fernando City can be reached via land-based trips from major airports (Clark Airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport) and sea port (Subic Bay Port). Busses are available from Subic, Metro Manila, and Baguio City.
References
- Joy Ann L. Gurtiza. 8th SILLAG FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS LAUNCHED. Provincial Government of La Union. April 7, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2024
- Katerina Francisco. Sillag Festival: Spectacle of lights, colors. Rappler. March 11, 2013. Retrieved March 18, 2024
- IN PHOTOS: 2014 Sillag Festival of Lights, La Union. March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2024
- All roads lead to La Union for Sillag Festival. GMA News. March 7, 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2024
Sillag Festival Summary
Name Sillag Festival Celebration Light, Tourism Contact (072) 242 0684 Country Philippines Date First Sunday of April Duration Three days Email poropointfreeportzone@gmail.com Established April 2012 Facebook www.facebook.com Location Poro Point Freeport Zone in the city of San Fernando, La Union Organizer Poro Point Management Corporation, Provincial Government of La Union Other Names Sillag Poro Point Festival of Lights Website poropointfreeport.gov.ph
| Name | Sillag Festival |
|---|---|
| Celebration | Light, Tourism |
| Contact | (072) 242 0684 |
| Country | Philippines |
| Date | First Sunday of April |
| Duration | Three days |
| poropointfreeportzone@gmail.com | |
| Established | April 2012 |
| www.facebook.com | |
| Location | Poro Point Freeport Zone in the city of San Fernando, La Union |
| Organizer | Poro Point Management Corporation, Provincial Government of La Union |
| Other Names | Sillag Poro Point Festival of Lights |
| Website | poropointfreeport.gov.ph |