1. ANNUAL EVENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
The Philippines has over 7,107 Islands and in simple words a local couldn't explain how many
festivals are held in the Philippines as there are hundreds of barangay, municipalities, towns and
cities in 80 provinces and each barangay, municipality, town and city including provinces has their
own festival either in honor of a Saint, a religious festival, seasonal change, harvest, or in honor of the
place itself. The Filipinos are happy and joie de vivre type of people. They are satisfied with life and
love to laugh and tend to love people with humor, which most festivals represent. Most of the festivals
are vibrant and energetic and many are of Hispanic influence. Because of the uncountable number of
festivals, the country is often dubbed as, "The Fiesta Islands". Among all festivals Christmas is the
biggest, widest and longest celebrated in the Philippines, which starts from September and lasts till
January perhaps the longest Christmas celebration in the world.
Bulaklakan Festival
Held in Muntinlupa City, celebrates every first
day of January.Bulaklaka(n) literally means flower in
Tagalog. Parade of flowers and costumes are held.
Feast of Three Kings
Held in Gasan, Marinduque, it celebrates every first Sunday of January of the Year.The Feast
of Three Kings or Epiphany, known as Araw ng tatlong hari in Tagalog, is a festival celebrated
during the first Sunday of January, the Epiphany which commemorates the manifestation of the Lord
Jesus Christ to the gentiles by the magi; Melchor who brought Gold, Gaspar who brought
Frankincense, and Balthazar who brought myrrh as a gift to the infant Jesus. A folk play is en-acted
in Gasan, Marinduque based on the story of the Epiphany. The festival also commemorates the end
of Christmas in the Philippines.
Ati-Atihan Festival
Held in Kalibo, Aklan celebrates every third Week of
January. In honor of the Sto. Nino or the Infant Jesus, this
festival is celebrated. It was first celebrated as a pagan
festival in honor of Anitos or Pagan gods of the native
people before the Spanish arrived. Today it is celebrated in
honor of the Sto. Nino. People cover their bodies or faces
with soots to look like Atis or Aetas (native people) and
dance streetdances with a holy image of the Sto. Nino.
Masses, Novenas and Rosary processions are done also

2. Bailes De Luces
In La Castellana, Negros Occidental celebrates
every 5th
of January.Bailes De Luces or Dances of
lights in Spanish. Luces or Light in Spanish symbolizes
hope. The festival highlights the use of lights in festival
presentations. Street dances are done to commemorate
the festival, it is celebrated in thanking the past year's
blessings and success as well as a hope for a better new
year.
Feast of the Black Nazarene
In Quiapo, Manila, celebrate every 9th
of
January.The festival is a day long feast, celebrated
through a procession ofthe Black Nazarene in the streets
of Metro Manila. The Black Nazarene is a wooden statue
of Jesus of Nazarene, it is called Black Nazarene
because of the statue's color which is black, the statue is
over 400 years old and is stored in the Basilica of Black
Nazarene or popularly known as Quiapo Church.
Devotees flock to streets barefooted and push against
each other to get to the statue in belief it would give
blessings and miracles.
Lingayen Gulf Festival
In Lingayen, Pangasinan every January 9. Festival commemorating the liberation of Lingayen
from the Japanese invasion by Gen. Douglas McCarthur of US Pacific command on January 9, 1945.
Araw ng Koronadal(Day of
Koronadal)/Hinugyaw Festival
In Koronadal always celebrate on January 10. A feast
celebrating the diverse cultures of Koronadal for
decades.

3. Sinulog Festival(Kabankalan)
Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Ja nuary
10-16. The Sinulog of Kabankalan is known to be lively
and colorful, peple dress in colorful costumes and dance
in streets in honor of Senor Sto. Nino.
Makato Sto. Nino Festival
Makato, Aklan on January 15. The celebration
dates back to the pre-Spanish times, celebrated in honor
and for giving thanks to the Sto. Nino. It is similar to
Kalibo's Ati-atihan festival.
Pasungay Festival
San Joaquin, Iloilo on Third Saturday of
January.Traditions dates back in olden times when
people witnessed two bulls fighting, it then became an
attraction and an entertainment. Catch "Bull Derby",
when the where the best bulls of the barangays compete
against each other. Pasungay comes from the Hiligaynon
word Sungay meaning horn, indicating the horns of the
bulls.

4. Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the
representatives of different nations, constituent states,
independent organizations (such as trade unions), or
groups.
Exhibit
Exhibit is the publicly display (a work of art or
item of interest) in an art gallery or museum or at a
trade fair.
Seminars
A seminar is, generally, a form
of academic instruction, either at an academic
institution or offered by a commercial or professional
organization. It has the function of bringing together
small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each
time on some particular subject, in which everyone
present is requested to actively participate.

5. Convention
A convention, in the sense of a meeting,
is a gathering of individuals who meet at an
arranged place and time in order to discuss or
engage in some common interest. The most
common conventions are based
upon industry, profession, and fandom.
Tour
Tour is a journey for pleasure in which
several different places are visited.
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates
or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same
date of the year as the initial event.

6. Weddings
A wedding is the ceremony where people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and
customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most
wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows by the couple, presentation of a gift
(offering, ring(s), symbolic item, flowers, money), and a public proclamation of marriage by an
authority figure or leader. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is sometimes
followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers or readings fromreligious texts or literature
are also commonly incorporated into the ceremony.
TYPES OF WEDDING IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Japan
Bride and groom in Japan come together
either by a love match or through an arranged
marriage. The ceremony itself is an extremely
elaborate and extravagant affair and in modern-day
Japan is a combination of western style marriage
and traditional Shinto ceremony, often held in a
Shinto shrine located in a hotel where the entire
festivities, including dinner and reception, take
place. Photographs play a great role and so does
the dressing of the bride who has to change outfits
several times during the ceremony.
Maasai/Kenya
Tying the knot for the Maasai starts long before the
wedding day. It‟s not really surprising that the courtship and
marriage ceremony are drawn out, as divorce is not an
option. When a young man takes an interest in a girl, he
gives her a chain. Sometime later, he assembles several
women of his own age to bring his future mother-in-law a
drink of alcohol. Again sometime later, a drink of alcohol is
brought to his future father-in-law, who drinks it and asks the
young man to make his intention clear.

7. India
Depending on region and religion,
wedding customs and ceremonies in India
vary greatly. However what they all have in
common is that they are lavish affairs and
symbolize more the social coming together
of two families than the union of two
individuals. Prior to the wedding day, Byaha
Haath, a ceremony of purification, is
celebrated. Bride and groom are attended
by seven unmarried females who apply a
paste made from sandalwood, turmeric and
rose water to the couple‟s face, hands and feet. The couple is not allowed to leave home after that
until their actual wedding day.
The exchange of vows is of course the crucial part. The bride sits on the right side of the
groom until the vows are made. The right side is the place for strangers and acquaintances. After the
vows, she moves to the left side of her husband, who has made a rather long list of promises to care
for and look after his wife.
Mexico
Most Mexicans are Roman Catholics
and the wedding ceremony take place within
the church. Godparents, madrinas and
padrinos, play an important role in the tradition.
The madrina de lazo carries a rope, which
maybe a rosary or a wreath made from orange
blossoms as a symbol of fertility, and is wound
in a figure-eight around the couple‟s heads.
The madrina de arras holds 13 coins which
have been blessed by the priest and which
symbolize the joint finances of the couple. The
madrina de velacion is a woman of confidence to whom the bride can always turn for help and advice.
Other godparents carry wineglasses for the wedding toast.
At the reception which follows the religious ceremony in church, the guests form a heart
shaped ring around the newlyweds before their first dance. And of course, what never can be amiss
from a Mexican wedding is Mariachi music.

8. Las Vegas
A Las Vegas wedding must be the
quickest and least ceremonial way to tie the
knot. All you need is a license, but then you
are spoiled for choice with the offer of
hundreds of wedding chapels and
companies which can arrange gazebo
weddings, theme weddings, even
underwater weddings, or, for those who
are really in a hurry, drive-through
weddings. Depending on your fancy and
your budget, you can spend as little as
$200 on your big day or you can spend
thousands on a unique and truly flashy way
to get married.
Germany
Germans tend to be either Catholic or
Protestant and the exchange of vows takes place
in church following the civil marriage in the
„Standesamt‟. The bride wears a white gown and
walks down the aisle on the arm of her father
who gives her away to the groom waiting for her
at the altar with his best man.
Afterwards, a reception is often held in a
hotel, with the bride and groom sometimes
arriving in a white horse drawn carriage. Often a
chimney sweep turns up as a symbol for good
luck, carrying a horseshoe and a four leaved
clover. In rural areas, special, elaborate
Trachten, or traditional costumes, are kept from
generation to generation and worn by the bride
instead of the white gown.

9. Morocco
In the Muslim country of Morocco, the
wedding ceremony takes up several days. Habits
and customs are changing but five days prior to the
wedding, the negaffa, older women who
prepare the bridal chamber and the bride on her
wedding day, still play an important role. The bride
is given a purifying hammam bath, then her hands
and feet are decorated with henna designs, kohl
makeup is applied to her eyes and she is dressed
in her wedding caftan and jewelry.
Throughout the day, men and women drink and eat at separate locations, until it‟s time for the
veiled bride to be carried on a platform and on the shoulders of her negaffa to the groom‟s home. The
mother-in-law lifts the veil and then the bride circles her new home three times before she is allowed
to enter.
Korea
The traditional Korean wedding
ceremony is steeped in Confucian values.
Every gesture and move is strictly regulated
and follows a protocol. The ceremony starts
with a photo session, often in a beautiful
garden, then the bride‟s parents move to
where the ceremony is to take place and
wait at the wedding table for the groom‟s
party to arrive. The party is lead by what
could be called the groom‟s best man, who
approaches the parents and makes them a gift of a mandarin duck. The groom then moves to the
eastern part of the table. The bride arrives and moves to the western side.
The couple washes their hands, bow to each other and then exchange a drink of wine. After
which they bow again and…the ceremony is over. Throughout the short ceremony, both bride and
groom are supposed to show no emotions and to move with dignity in the stiff and elaborate
costumes they wear.

10. Saudi Arabia
Marriage in Saudi Arabia is an important
family event initiated by the elders of the respective
families. Once a man has made his choice, he
proceeds to send gifts to the woman; she is free to
reject if she does not want to go ahead with the
marriage. Once price and dowry have been agreed
upon, the bride is prepared much in the same way
as in Morocco for her big day. A small religious
ceremony takes place before a sheikh and the
bride receives lavish gifts of jewelry.
The centerpiece of the wedding ceremony is
the dinner. Men and women eat and drink in
separate locations and only at the end will bride and groom sit together and share with their guests.
The bride will wear traditional clothing along with a white Western-style wedding gown.
Turkey
More than in other Muslim countries, a
Turkish wedding combines elements of Western-
style ceremonies with local religious traditions.
Weddings are mostly held in luxury hotels and the
bride will wear a white gown, adorned with a red
sash, the color for good luck in Turkey. She and
her husband-to-be will sit at a special table together
with the witnesses, and an official will conduct the
civil ceremony.
After that, the bride will often change into
beautiful red or purple kaftans. She will be
surrounded by females who henna her hands and
then she will walk from table to table to receive gifts
of gold and money from her guests.
The dinner which, contrary to Morocco and Saudi Arabia, is not taken by men and women
separately, is preceded by the dance of the fathers, an important part of the wedding ceremony.
Again, money and gold coins are thrown on the dance floor and collected by the kids to be handed to
the couple to help pay for the expense of the wedding.
At the end, a many-tiered wedding cake is rolled in, cut and served and each guest is given a
little box with a piece of cake to take home.

11. 1. The 24 Hours of Le Mans, France
Skill, speed, and stamina are the three s‟s
that mark the world‟s best automobile race, the 24
Hours of Le Mans. The race organized by
Automobile Club de L‟Ouest, bridges past and
present on the automotive circuit.
2. The Olympic Games
It‟s hard to imagine that Zeus and the other
gods lording over ancient Greece ever envisioned
the global event the modern Olympiad has
become. For a two-week span, athletes from
dozens of countries compete against each other in
scores of different sports. And that‟s just the
Summer Games, which began their modern run in
the late 1800s. The Winter Games, featuring sports
that largely require snow and ice, draw a smaller
field of competitors. But the competition for the
gold, silver, and bronze is just as intense.
Remember Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan?
3. World Cup Soccer
Thirty-two nations play, but billions of people
in countries all around the world drop everything
they‟re doing for a month every four years to see
who claims the title of World Cup soccer champion.
The teams that compete in the World Cup
finals are those that emerge from a series of
qualifying rounds played out over the prior three
years. The tournament of tournaments is therefore a showcase of the finest squads from across the
continents and hemispheres.

12. 4. The Super Bowl, United States
The Super Bowl is so big that even the
commercials are worth watching. The first Super
Bowl (held in January 1967) was played to plenty of
empty seats and a waning TV audience. But now
Super Bowl Sundays, progressively marked with
Roman numerals, are the most celebrated one-
game professional championship on the 12-month
Gregorian calendar.
The Super Bowl concludes a 16-game regular season, and three postseason play-off rounds.
It pits the top team from the American Football Conference against the top team from the National
Football Conference for the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy (not to mention diamond-studded rings
for players, coaches, and front office “suits”). The Sunday evening spectacle is preceded by two
weeks of parties and pre-game hype.
5. The National Basketball Association Finals,
United States
The NBA Finals. Showtime and the “Ghosts
of the Garden.” Rockets and Knicks, Spurs and
Pistons. The National Basketball Association‟s finals
are a showdown of stars and teams for the ages. It
takes four games to win, but at least 93 games to
get there. And the teams that do bring a lot of glitter
with them. Movie stars in front-row seats.
Cheerleaders that resemble Las Vegas show girls in
high-energy dance routines. The see-and-be-seen
spectacle ringing the court is as intriguing as the game itself.
Pro basketball has changed radically over the last four decades. The three-point shot, the slam-dunk,
a pendulum swing against defense makes NBA ball a high-scoring, acrobatic affair. What hasn‟t
changed is the prize, the right to be crowned world champion.