Rally is researching the season
Christmas with kids in Iligan
In Iligan, the City of Majestic Waterfalls, Christmas lights up a hill. Since 2022, City Hall on Buhanginan Hill has turned into a Paskuhan Christmas Village, with giant stars made by schools and nativity scenes built by barangays.
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The story of Christmas in Iligan
A Christmas Village on Buhanginan Hill in 2022
The Iligan Paskuhan Festival is young. Its first opening was the evening of Monday, December 5, 2022, at Buhanginan Hill in Barangay Palao, where City Hall stands, with hundreds of residents there. Mayor Frederick Siao led the opening of the Christmas Village.
The hill was filled by the community: 21 city offices built Kiddie Wonderland booths, 13 barangays set up belens (nativity scenes) and Christmas trees, and 30 schools showed giant stars. Contests judged the best belen, tree and star. For 2023, a pre-event report gave the planned theme as Christmas Around the World, with a giant tree to be lit at the City Public Plaza on November 15.
December Avenue and a Candy Wonderland in 2025
The 2025 festival ran all month under the theme A Sweet Season of Joyous Light. It opened on December 1 with a performance by the band December Avenue, and the program listed a Christmas lights showcase, street dancing and homecoming fun runs for Iliganons coming back for the holidays.
At City Hall, the city opened a Candy Wonderland display through December, with colorful candy-inspired decor and props for family photos. On December 21, six barangay and community groups danced in lit costumes at the Anahaw Amphitheater in Hudyaka sa Pasko, the city's first Christmas street dancing competition.
Waterfalls, steel and a Hugyaw Ilaw route
Iligan calls itself the City of Majestic Waterfalls, and it counts 23 officially within the city. It is also the industrial center of the south, with steel, tinplate and cement, and the Agus River supplies hydroelectric power to the Mindanao region.
A pre-event report on the 2023 festival gave these planned dates, not confirmed ones: a Dancing Lights street dancing contest, Hugyaw Ilaw, on December 16, walking from St. Michael Cathedral to the Anahaw Amphitheater with a P100,000 grand prize. The plan also listed a Drag Queen Race on December 19, a Kasadya sa Iligan street party on December 22 and a holiday fashion show on December 27.
Traditions today
- Paskuhan Festival: The city's month-long Christmas festival began in 2022 and runs through December, with a lights showcase, concerts and street dancing.
- Christmas Village at City Hall: Offices, schools and barangays decorate Buhanginan Hill with Kiddie Wonderland booths, giant stars and belens.
- Belen and star contests: Barangays build nativity scenes and schools make giant stars, and the city judges the best ones.
- Candy Wonderland: A candy-themed display at Iligan City Hall in 2025, open to the public through December.
- Christmas street dancing: Groups perform in lit costumes, from the planned Hugyaw Ilaw in 2023 to Hudyaka sa Pasko in 2025.
- Homecoming fun runs: The 2025 program included fun runs for Iliganons returning for the holidays.
A fact for kids
In 2022, 30 Iligan schools each showed a giant star at City Hall, and 13 barangays built nativity scenes, all on one hill.
Questions about Christmas in Iligan
When did the Iligan Paskuhan Festival begin?
The first Iligan Paskuhan Festival opened on the evening of Monday, December 5, 2022, at Buhanginan Hill, where City Hall stands in Barangay Palao. Mayor Frederick Siao led the opening of the Christmas Village. Councilor Michelle Booc said it was only a start and that bigger celebrations were expected in coming years.
What was in the Christmas Village at Iligan City Hall in 2022?
The 2022 Christmas Village had 21 local government offices with Kiddie Wonderland booths, 13 barangays with belens (nativity scenes) and Christmas trees, and 30 schools showing giant stars. The city also held contests for the best belen, tree, giant star and Kiddie Wonderland display, with final judging on December 18.
What is a belen and why do Iligan barangays build them?
A belen is a nativity scene. In the 2022 Paskuhan Festival, 13 Iligan barangays installed belens and Christmas trees at City Hall, and the city judged a best belen contest. For young kids, it is a small model of the stable, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus that they can look at up close.
What was the planned theme of the 2023 Iligan Paskuhan Festival?
The planned 2023 theme was Christmas Around the World, meant to promote peace, unity and love and to call for global harmony. The grand opening was planned for November 15 at the City Public Plaza, with the lighting of a giant Christmas tree and a fireworks display.
What contests came with the 2023 Iligan Paskuhan opening?
The 2023 plan listed a Christmas Around the World exhibit and competition, Best Christmas Building Facade, a Belen Booth contest, Light an Overpass, a Christmas Tree competition and a Lighted Giant Star competition. Every one of them asked barangays, offices or schools to decorate and light something for the season.
What is Hugyaw Ilaw in Iligan?
Hugyaw Ilaw, or Dancing Lights, was a street dancing competition in the planned 2023 Paskuhan schedule, with December 16 as the planned date. It was to run from St. Michael Cathedral to the Anahaw Amphitheater, with a P100,000 grand prize and special awards for the best lit Christmas costumes, choreography and human Christmas symbol.
What is Hudyaka sa Pasko?
Hudyaka sa Pasko is Iligan's first Christmas street dancing competition, held in 2025 as part of the Paskuhan Festival. Barangay and community groups perform Christmas routines in illuminated costumes at night. The grand showdown was on December 21, 2025, at the Anahaw Amphitheater, with six official groups.
Which groups danced in Hudyaka sa Pasko 2025?
Six groups made the final: Barangay Santiago (Santiago Dancers), Barangay Del Carmen, Barangay Tambacan (Bugsay Tambacan), D'Last Page, Barangay Tomas Cabili (Tomas Cabili Youth Advocates) and Street Movers. The City Government of Iligan and Iligan City Tourism organized the contest.
Which theme did the 2025 Iligan Paskuhan Festival follow?
The 2025 theme was A Sweet Season of Joyous Light: A Vibrant Celebration of the Wonders of Unity. The month-long festival began on December 1 with a grand opening that included a performance by December Avenue, plus a Christmas lights showcase, street dancing and homecoming fun runs for returning Iliganons.
Who performed at the Iligan Paskuhan opening in 2025?
The band December Avenue performed at the grand opening on December 1, 2025. A separate report called their Paskuhan sa Iligan concert free. Another festival report described a free, full-night street party with live performances and large stage lighting, presented with 1Bots Production.
What was the Candy Wonderland at Iligan City Hall?
The Candy Wonderland was a candy-inspired Christmas display at Iligan City Hall in Buhanginan Hills, Barangay Palao, opened by the city government for the 2025 Paskuhan Festival. It was open to the public through December, with colorful decor and festive props that invite family photos.
Where is Iligan City Hall and why do families go there at Christmas?
Iligan City Hall sits on Buhanginan Hill in Barangay Palao. Since the first Paskuhan Festival in 2022, the city has used its grounds for the Christmas Village, and in 2025 for the Candy Wonderland. Officials said in 2022 they wanted City Hall to become a destination in itself.
Is there a Christmas street party in Iligan?
Yes. The 2025 Paskuhan Festival included a free street party presented by the city government and 1Bots Production, with live performances. The planned 2023 schedule also had a Kasadya sa Iligan Christmas Street Party on December 22. Families can check dates for the next one in the city's own announcements.
Besides the Paskuhan lights, what can kids do at Christmas in Iligan?
The festival has included Kiddie Wonderland booths made by city offices, giant stars from schools, belens from barangays and photo-ready displays like the Candy Wonderland. Street dancing nights add music and lit costumes. For current picks, see Rally Takes the Train's Iligan Christmas events guide.
What is the Anahaw Amphitheater used for at Christmas?
The Anahaw Amphitheater was the finish line for the planned 2023 Hugyaw Ilaw street dancing route, and it hosted the Hudyaka sa Pasko grand showdown on December 21, 2025. The route in 2023 started at St. Michael Cathedral. Both contests mix choreography with lit costumes after dark.
Where can we spend Christmas Day in Iligan with kids?
No program is listed for December 25 itself. The Paskuhan month runs through December, and the 2025 Candy Wonderland was open throughout the month, so City Hall is a likely stop. Check the city's announcements for hours, then see Rally Takes the Train's Iligan Christmas events guide for what is confirmed.
Why is Iligan called the City of Majestic Waterfalls?
Iligan is known by that name because it has 23 officially counted waterfalls within the city, with Maria Cristina Falls the best known. Iligan is also described as the industrial center of the south, making steel, tinplate and cement, and its Agus River power supplies the whole Mindanao region.
How can I explain Paskuhan to a young child?
Tell them Paskuhan is the city's Christmas party that lasts all of December. Barangays and schools build nativity scenes and giant stars, groups dance in costumes that light up, and City Hall turns into a play space with candy decor. Pointing out a belen or a star makes it concrete.
When did the Iligan Paskuhan Festival begin?
The first festival was held in 2022. Jeremy Sacon, an assistant principal at Iligan City National High School, said the celebration signaled hope. The festival has since grown from a City Hall Christmas Village to a month-long program with a concert and street dancing.
Did Iligan have a giant Christmas tree or a Christmas market?
The planned 2023 Paskuhan opening included the lighting of a giant Christmas tree at the City Public Plaza on November 15. No Christmas market is mentioned. For what is confirmed this season, including trees and displays, see Rally Takes the Train's Iligan Christmas events guide.
Sources
- Iligan Paskuhan 2025 Ignites the Season with Grand Opening, Streetdancing and December Avenue, GoIligan
- Candy Wonderland Lights Up Iligan City Hall for Paskuhan Festival 2025, GoIligan
- Iligan City opens Christmas Village as part of Paskuhan Festival, Philippine Information Agency
- Iligan opens Paskuhan Festival, MindaNews
- Iligan gears up for Paskuhan Festival celebration, Philippine Information Agency
- Who Will Rule the Streets? Meet the Final Six of Hudyaka sa Pasko 2025, GoIligan
- Iligan, The City of Majestic Waterfalls, Amusing Planet
- Iligan Paskuhan Festival 2025 Unleashes a High-Energy December Street Party Experience, GoIligan