(Fun fact first) 😁
As of this writing, I have made 5 introductory drafts on how I will introduce and share my Barrio Fiesta Experience that I have just attended this weekend since the COVID-19 pandemic (Finally!!!)
Funny! Hahaha!
My heart is incredibly overwhelmed as I was able to experience physically such a kind of celebration that was suspended and banned for over two years!
As fun lovers and culture keepers as we are, we miss those celebrations so much. People were missing it! We pray for it to happen again. And finally, it's transpiring! (Insert me dancing!)
I am not blaming Covid 19 Pandemic for the halt of the celebrations, (rather, and kidding aside, I blame that Contest in @HivePH on "How to develop your blog". After reading those stuff, I now keep on writing and rewriting as I am not sure if I'm doing the right thing anymore! Hahaha! It's not good to learn all those stuff at the same time honey or you'll mess up! I mixed it up! Lol. Well naaaaah I don't care anymore, haha let's just talk about my experience of the Barrio Fiesta this weekend before this 📝 becomes the 6th draft!.) 🤣
Let me start by sharing what is Barrio Fiesta first.
Barrio Fiesta is a neighborhood festival that refers to a religious holiday honoring the patron saint. This is the time when kin and neighborhood gather for the thanksgiving celebration. During a pandemic, celebrations and gatherings of any kind were canceled. Even the tiniest form of gathering that is part of our culture is banned across the country. So just imagine how happy are we to gradually have everything back!
Just this quarter of the year, our town is classified as "low risk" or under Level 1 Category which means we can now enjoy the gatherings and celebrations that we used to do. And one of these is the Barrio Fiesta. !
It isn't obvious that I was too elated to the point that I went to the Barrio Fiesta as early as 4:00 pm. Normally, people go to the fiesta at night as entertainment and fun start in the evening. But I deliberately went there earlier to avoid the crowd and also to enjoy sightseeing, eating, and buying fiesta souvenirs.
The first spot that we went to is the Market Plaza. Here we could see a lot of stalls and stores displaying a variety of products. From souvenirs and keychains, and toys displayed, to street foods and snacks such as Balot, popcorn, and barbeque! There's plenty to enjoy!
In every Barrio fiesta, there are also Games or Money Games where people enjoyed to bet and gamble. The most famous game is the Bingo Game but in this fiesta, I only saw the Card guessing game. And of course, to heat the celebration, locals especially old men in the barrio didn't forget to add BEER on top of the fun.
Next to the Market Plaza, we head to the Barrio Chapel. This is the heart of the festival, the honoring of the patron Saint. In the chapel, we saw some of the devotees lighting candles, giving offers to the altar, and praying to the Saint.
A patron Saint as defined in Britannica is a saint to whose protection and intercessions a person, a society, a church, or a place is dedicated.
The patron saint of this Barrio is San Antonio de Padua (and that's where they got its Barrio Name), known as the patron saint of the poor, of sailors and fishermen, priests and travelers, a protector and wonder worker.
People in Barrio San Antonio are living happily with this religious belief that they are protected by Saint Antonio de Padua.
Food Food Food!
Any festival is incomplete without a table brimming with delicious food highlighting the flagship dish of every Cebuano Celebration- the Lechon Baboy (roasted pig).
We were so fortunate that we got a dinner invitation from one of our close friends in San Antonio. Who would not grab it? It's a Kumbira"!!!
In the host house, the mouth-watering dish spreading out on the table is calling and waking my inner hungry lion, that is ready to attack the table and partake of all the food anytime! Haha! Rawr!
We ended the celebration with a full stomach and big smiles.
It's good to finally celebrate this kind of celebration once again!.
Normal life is waving.😍
Waiiittt, please tell me this ain't for the 6th draft?