ARYA ABRA FESTIVAL

ARYA ABRA FESTIVAL

Abra Province
March 7-10

ARYA! ABRA FESTIVAL, a week-long celebration that coincides with the founding
anniversary of the Province of Abra, will be held from March 6-10. This year the Arya
Abra Festival will feature the One-Town-One-Product program of President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo to promote the products of the province. All the towns are expected
to come up with their own booth where they would display their products in the trade
fair.

Other activities include the usual karambola, horse race, the Tingguian Festival, youth
day, farmers day and veterans day celebrations. This festival is a celebration of ABRA
identity. ARYA ABRA which means "Onward Abra!", was originally coined by Governor
Vicente P. Valera as his battle cry when he first sat as governor of the province. It later
evolved into the ARYA ABRA Festival in celebration of ABRA Foundation day.

Abra is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Cordillera Administrative

Region in Luzon. The province is enclosed by the towering mountain ranges of the
Ilocos in the west and the Cordillera Central in the east. It has an extremely rugged
terrain, with mountains and hills rising along its perimeter and interior. When you are
in Abra, you can see the sights of amazing and impressive stalagmites at the Libtec
Underground River and Sibud-Sibud cave. Tourists can come, visit, witness and also
participate in the annual festival of the province the Arya Abra Festival, held on the
second week of March, which commemorates the founding anniversary of the province.
Date of the Festival
Abrenian Festival or the Arya Abra Festival is a week-long celebration coinciding with
the province's foundation anniversary held annually every March 5 to 10 or at the
second week of March in the capital town of Bangued. It showcases the province's
history and culture through parades and cultural shows as well as agro-industrial fairs.

Short History
Bangued is the capital town of the province of Abra. The name of the city means
"roadblock" and has been the seat of provincial government since July 25, 1861,
coinciding with the feast day of St. James the Great. The city of Bangued is known for its
Arya Abra festival, which means, "Onward Abra".
In ancient time, the festival is the colorful anniversary celebration of the provinces
Charter Day on March 9, 1917.
Arya Abra Festival is a celebration of of Abras individuality. It features various
sectors/groups in the province together with the indigenous people in Abra which is the

Iraya Tribe. Each day is offered to a particular group of people as a way of honoring
them for what they have done for the province of Abra.
Description

The first day of the festival starts with the Youth Festival where competitions are held
between school groups in various events including cheering and street dancing.
Also, the "Basi Festival," is also included in the course of events. It is a wine festival
featuring the local alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane and one of the beverages
popular in the celebration is the Abrazzi, which is a mixture of basi, honey and green
mango juice.
Activities

Sports and shows

A dog show held at the Bangued Town Plaza

Usual horse racing

Exhibitions at the Arya Abra Oval

Exhibition games and a basketball clinic in the Bangued Town Plaza

Women of Abra parade with their colorful traditional costumes

Ms. Arya Abra-Earth pageant

Karambola (a simultaneous fight among four or more cocks and hack fight for
bantam and regular cocks)

Grand party at the Bangued Municipal Hall