Annual festival in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
The Higalaay Festival (formerly known as "Kagay-an Festival", then to "Higalaay Kagay-an Festival" in 2014) is a patronal festival held each year in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, every 28th day of August, celebrating the feast day of St. Augustine – patron saint of the city.
Etymology.
Higalaay Festival means "Friendship Festival", which the word "Higalaay" comes from the Cebuano word "higala" (friend; chum; pal) which was regarded from what the city of Cagayan de Oro is being tagged, the City of Golden Friendship.
History.
Under father Pedro de Santa Barbara, they built the first Christian church near the fort (Gaston Park before). Coincidentally, it was finished on August 28, 1780 – the feast of St. Augustine. Since then, the inhabitants celebrate August 28 as the feast of the settlement. As years pass by, the city's festival has been changing identities as the administration changes, before, Cagayan de Oro's festival was popularly known as Kagay-an Festival and now called Higalaay Festival.
Events.
It has been the tradition of the city of Cagayan de Oro to celebrate its festivity with simultaneous events that even start on the first week of August. To name just some are the Garden Show and Agri Fair, Kumbira Culinary Show, Cowboy Festival: Annual Horse Show, Kahimunan Northern Mindanao: Food and Lifestyle Show, Miss Cagayan de Oro, The Kagay-an Festival Marathon, Cagayan de Oro Carnival Parade, The Higalas Parade of Floats and Icons, Higalaay Bisperas Fireworks Display, Religious Procession, Fluvial Procession, and Higalaay Pyrolympics. The highlights of the Higalaay Festival are the following:
References.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;