Hundred Islands Festival

Hundred Islands Festival, also called the Alaminos City Fiesta, is Alaminos, Pangasinan’s March celebration associated with the feast of St. Joseph. It brings together a city fiesta, religious observances, public events and the wider identity of Alaminos as the gateway to Hundred Islands National Park. The festival and the national park are closely linked in a visit, but they are not the same activity and should be planned separately.

Hundred Islands Festival at a glance

• Where: Alaminos City, Pangasinan
• When: March, around the city fiesta and the feast of St. Joseph
• What it celebrates: local community life, devotion to St. Joseph and Alaminos’s connection to the Hundred Islands
• What may be included: parades, street dancing, food and trade activities, religious observances and city events
• Planning authority: the City of Alaminos festival guide and current city announcements

What is the Hundred Islands Festival?

The festival is Alaminos City’s local fiesta, named for the city’s famous island landscape and connected with the city’s patron, St. Joseph. The city’s official festival page lists the Hundred Islands Festival and City Fiesta on 18 to 19 March, with a grand parade honouring St. Joseph on 19 March. It also describes a wider week-long celebration with possible components such as a street dancing competition, agri-trade activity, food events and fiesta-night programming.

Those details describe the city’s festival tradition, not a fixed programme for every future edition. A 2025 city celebration, for example, ran across a longer March period with its own programme. Always confirm the current year’s opening date, headline events, venue map and access guidance directly with Alaminos City.

The festival is not the same as visiting Hundred Islands National Park

Alaminos is the gateway to Hundred Islands National Park, so many visitors combine the city fiesta with an island day. That is sensible only when conditions allow. Park access, boat arrangements, weather decisions, safety rules and operating hours are separate from the city festival. A parade schedule does not confirm a boat trip, and an island itinerary does not guarantee access to city-centre events.

• Confirm festival information with the city.
• Confirm park access and safe boating arrangements with the relevant local authority or an accredited operator.
• Keep a weather-flexible day in your plan rather than treating island travel as guaranteed.
• Leave extra travel time between Lucap and city-centre festival activities.

What to expect during the city fiesta

Faith and civic celebration

St. Joseph’s feast day provides an important devotional focus. If you encounter a Mass, procession or religious gathering, keep clear of the route and follow local instructions. A visitor’s best contribution is patience, unobtrusive photography and respect for access needed by worshippers and residents.

Local food and enterprise

Alaminos festivals often make room for local food, vendors and civic showcases. Past programmes have highlighted products such as Alaminos longganisa and locally farmed oysters. Treat specific fairs, menus and pop-up events as edition-specific, but prioritise local, clearly identified sellers when you spend during the festival.

Crowds, traffic and changing access

A fiesta can alter normal traffic patterns and city-centre movement. Walk when practical, avoid scheduling a tight transfer around the parade and use a simple meeting point in case mobile signals or pickup locations are inconvenient. Never rely on a previous year’s route map as a live operational plan.

How to plan a better Alaminos visit

1. Check the city calendar first. Use the official Alaminos festival information to identify the recurring period, then seek the year’s detailed programme before booking.
2. Separate city and island plans. Give each a realistic travel buffer and keep your island day flexible for weather or safety changes.
3. Pack for heat and rain. Bring water, sun protection, a light rain layer and footwear suitable for pavement, boat transfers and wet surfaces.
4. Protect the marine environment. Follow park rules, do not leave waste on boats or islands, and do not collect natural material as souvenirs.
5. Build in regional context. Add a food or culture stop rather than rushing from a parade to an island boat.

Related Pangasinan and festival reading

For another Pangasinan celebration shaped by a coastal identity, read our guide to the Pistay Dayat Festival. Food-focused travellers can also explore the Bangus Festival. Place Hundred Islands Festival in the wider calendar with our Philippine festivals by month guide, and use our Filipino fiesta explainer for the cultural vocabulary behind local city celebrations.

Frequently asked questions

Start with the City of Alaminos festival page for recurring timing, then verify the current edition’s programme and visitor guidance before travelling.