The Pahiyas Festival is a colorful feast celebrated every 15th of May by the people of     Lucban, Quezon in honor of San Isidro Labrador. It is the farmers' thanksgiving for a      bountiful harvest with a grand display of colorful rice wafers, fruits, vegetables, and    handicrafts adorning every house in the town.

The festival's name comes from the Filipino terms hiyas (jewel) and pahiyas (precious      offering). This feast is an ancient farmers' harvest celebration that dates back to the    16th century. According to legend, San Isidro Labrador magically plowed the field whenever he went out of the church. This is the story that the Spaniards passed on to the           Philippines from Mexico during their colonial period. Since then, the Pahiyas Festival has been a source of excitement for the locals and visitors of Quezon Province.

Each house tries to outdo each other in decorations in an annual competition as they vie   for the honor of being recognized for their creativity. After the competition is over and  the awards are handed over to the owners of the winning house, the decorations of the house will be thrown away to the huge flock of people as free treats. For the other houses, after the festival, those kipings that were used as decorations are cooked and eaten as rice     chips. Also during the festival, the people display their harvest in front of their homes  so that the parish priest can bless them as the procession passes by.

The Pahiyas Festival is a time of joyous merriment for the people of Quezon. You'll never  walk away from the Pahiyas Festival with an empty stomach. It is a mouthful of a welcome  to how the people of the Philippines welcome their guests.