The Coconut Festival is a week-long celebration in San Pablo, Laguna, the Philippines, in honour of their patron saint Paul the Hermit. It is held every first to second week of January. It is a celebration started on 1996. The festival consists of street dancing, float parade, street concerts, and nightly programs before the city fiesta.

Coconut festival is an event that honours the sanctity of the coconut tree, one of the trees that grow well in many parts of Philippines.

The botanical name of the coconut tree is Cocos nucifera, and visitors are often awed by the various benefits of this versatile plant. The coconut fruit is known as ‘buko’ to the locals. The meaty part of the coconut fruit is usually eaten that way, or prepared in different recipes. Coconut water on the other hand is a refreshing drink particularly during summer. Other parts of the coconut tree are used for a wide array of functions.

Due to the importance of the tree, the Coconut Festival was created out of the need to celebrate this phenomenal plant. Also known as the coco fest, the event’s humble beginnings can be traced back to 1996 when the first edition of the celebrations was held to honour the Hermit, St. Paul. This also doubles up as a gratitude act, so expect to see the locals in their full traditional attire and outlook during the festival.

The festival also encompasses the St Paul the Hermit’s Feast which is held on 15th January. The St Paul the Hermit’s cathedral known is also known as St Pablo’s Cathedral and the first cathedral built in St Paul’s memory was of wood in the 16th Century. It has since been rebuilt and is undergoing current renovations.

The one-week festival is a must attend, especially for nature lovers who are inspired by the outdoors. At the beginning of the Coconut Festival, look out for the dancing close to the statue of the saint. The night sessions are also an exciting part of the festival.

XPets have received intel that someone has stolen all the coconuts and hidden them inside the Cathedral.

We need to find them all so the Coconut Festival can carry on! They are all hidden in one area of the cathedral so no searching through all the images. A bit like ‘Spot the Ball’ but with coconuts!

XPets are also encouraged to take part in the festival and enjoy the parade and street dancing. You can even join in if you want to, just make sure you get all the coconuts!

At the end of the adventure there will be half an hour to make sure you’ve counted all your coconuts there’s big ones, small ones, and some as big as your head! There’s also a short quiz on the adventure and all the answers are in this news letter! There’s also the usual photo caption competition too.

Count all the coconuts inside the cathedral
Answer Quiz questions correctly
Make up a snappy caption for the photo caption comp

Remember to wait til the end of the adventure to submit all your answers, and use the hashtag #XPCOMP so we can see them. There will be half an hour allowed at end of adventure for you to complete your task!

Good luck XPets!

Location

san pablo