Rally is researching the season
Christmas with kids in Koronadal
Koronadal once had a 120-foot Christmas tree blow over before anyone could switch it on. The city rebuilt it, and Pasko here has been about big lights ever since. This page covers the City Hall tree, the Blaan star parols and the Capitol lighting, with facts parents can share with kids.
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The story of Christmas in Koronadal
A 120-foot tree that fell before it was lit, 2019
Koronadal's biggest Christmas picture is the 120-foot tree on the City Hall grounds, taller than the four-story building. In late November 2019, strong winds knocked it over while it was still being built, and it had reportedly cost almost 800,000 pesos. The city rebuilt it with donors, and the lights went on December 8, 2019.
The festival that followed, PasKoronadal, ran December 16 to 31. Blaan families in Barangays Assumption and San Isidro handcrafted the star parols, and a dancing fountain played nightly.
The Capitol turns on its lights on December 1, 2025
In 2025 the main lighting moved to the Provincial Capitol on Alunan Avenue. Pasko sa Kapitolyo: Liwanag ng Pasko opened the season on December 1 with a 6 PM ceremony, a rondalla performance and a one-night bazaar. The provincial government set a budget of 450,000 pesos and gave 10 free booths to small start-ups.
The display was handmade by the provincial general services office with local artist Ronito Subaldo, using recycled lighting and new pieces. More than 300 people came, and 100 loot bags with chocolate milk went to children.
Marbel, a muddy river and a village of rides
Many locals still call the city Marbel, a name that comes from a Blaan word for murky water and refers to the Marbel River. Koronadal became a city on October 8, 2000, and the 2024 census counted 201,844 people.
In December 2022 the City Hall grounds became a Christmas village with rides, a food strip and a live band, under the theme Hinugyaw sa Paskuwa. Crowds in 2020 were so large that the mayor canceled the festival on December 8, 2020.
Traditions today
- The City Hall tree and lights: Koronadal has lit a tall tree on the City Hall grounds, with a Garden of Lights in 2019 and a Christmas village in 2022.
- Pasko sa Kapitolyo: South Cotabato opens the season at the Provincial Capitol on Alunan Avenue. The 2025 lighting was on December 1 at 6 PM.
- Handmade Blaan parols: Blaan families in Barangays Assumption and San Isidro handcrafted the star parols hung around the city in 2019.
- Handcrafted Capitol display: In 2025 the display was made by hand from recycled lighting and new pieces, and it stayed open through the holiday season.
- Cooperative treats for children: At the 2025 lighting, the cooperative sector gave out 100 loot bags and chocolate milk.
- Rondalla and bazaar nights: The 2025 opening had a South Cotabato Family Rondalla performance and a one-night Christmas bazaar.
A fact for kids
In 2019 a 120-foot Christmas tree in Koronadal was blown down by wind before it was finished, so the city built it again.
Questions about Christmas in Koronadal
How tall was the Christmas tree at Koronadal City Hall in 2019?
It stood 120 feet tall on the City Hall grounds, taller than the four-story city hall behind it. Strong winds knocked it down in late November 2019 while it was under construction, so the city rebuilt it. Lights went on December 8, 2019. Its stars were handcrafted by Blaan families as a livelihood project.
Who made the star parols on Koronadal's Christmas tree?
Indigenous Blaan families in Barangays Assumption and San Isidro made the star-shaped parols in 2019. The city described the 2,400 to 2,500 handcrafted stars as a livelihood project. Some parols hung on street lights were about 12 feet high, and the tree itself reached 120 feet.
When did PasKoronadal run in 2019?
The Christmas lights were switched on December 8, 2019, and the PasKoronadal festival ran December 16 to 31. The Garden of Lights opened every night in December from 6 PM, and light and fountain shows lasted 20 minutes every hour from 7 PM to 11 PM.
What time were the Koronadal light and fountain shows in 2019?
In 2019 the Garden of Lights opened at 6 PM each night in December. The light and fountain shows ran for 20 minutes every hour between 7 PM and 11 PM. Those are the 2019 times, so check the host's page for any later year before you plan an evening.
Why was PasKoronadal 2020 called off?
Thousands of people crowded the Christmas Village outside City Hall on December 8, 2020. Mayor Eliordo Ogena closed the festival at 8 PM that night, and from December 9 the city limited visitor numbers and required QR codes.
What was Hinugyaw sa Paskuwa 2022 in Koronadal?
It was the city's 2022 Christmas celebration, themed Magical Lights and Wonderland. A 100-foot tree and parols were lit on December 8, 2022, on the City Hall grounds. The village had rides, a food strip and a live band, and it ran until January 2023.
What is Pasko sa Kapitolyo in Koronadal?
It is South Cotabato's Christmas opening at the Provincial Capitol along Alunan Avenue in Koronadal City. The 2025 edition, titled Liwanag ng Pasko, began December 1, 2025 with a 6 PM lighting, a rondalla concert and a one-night bazaar. The display stayed open through the holiday season.
What does Liwanag ng Pasko mean for South Cotabato?
The 2025 theme, Liwanag ng Pasko, means Light of Christmas. The province used it to highlight unity among Christians, Muslims and Lumad communities. It was the name of the Pasko sa Kapitolyo 2025 program, which opened with a lighting at the Provincial Capitol on December 1, 2025.
Were there free treats for kids at the 2025 Capitol lighting?
Yes. The provincial cooperative offices handed out 100 loot bags and chocolate milk, and officials shared holiday treats. More than 300 children and young-at-heart guests came to the Capitol Compound in Koronadal City. The province also gave 10 free booths to start-ups, small businesses and youth entrepreneurs.
Who built the 2025 Christmas display at the South Cotabato Capitol?
The provincial general services office built it with local artist Ronito R. Subaldo of McBaldz Artworks. It was fully handmade, with illuminated arches, handcrafted lanterns and decorative formations. It mixed recycled lighting materials with new structural pieces, and visitors could also see it from Alunan Avenue.
Do kids see the lights at City Hall or at the Capitol in Koronadal?
Both have hosted displays. The City Hall grounds along the national highway had the tree and Garden of Lights in 2019 and the village in 2022, and the Provincial Capitol grounds on Alunan Avenue held the 2025 handcrafted display. Kids have seen big lights at each site in different years.
Besides the Capitol lighting, what can kids do at Christmas in Koronadal?
Kids have had rides and a food strip at the 2022 City Hall village, plus a dancing fountain and a light show at the 2019 Garden of Lights. At the 2025 Capitol lighting, 100 loot bags with chocolate milk went to children. For current dates, use Rally Takes the Train's Koronadal Christmas events guide.
Where can we spend Christmas Day in Koronadal?
No Christmas Day program is listed. They show that the Capitol display stayed open through the 2025 holiday season, and that the 2022 City Hall village ran until January 2023. For this year's hours, see Rally Takes the Train's Koronadal Christmas events guide.
What else did the 2022 Christmas village in Koronadal have for families?
The City Hall grounds were turned from open space into a village with amusement rides, a food strip and a live band. It was lit on December 8, 2022, with a 100-foot tree, and visitors came from across Region XII. No entry fee is named.
Is there a Christmas tree lighting in Koronadal in 2026?
No 2026 date has been confirmed by the city or the province yet. The last dated lighting was December 1, 2025, at the Provincial Capitol. Dates are added to Rally Takes the Train's Koronadal Christmas events guide once a host publishes them.
Why is Koronadal also called Marbel?
Marbel is the older name of the poblacion. It comes from a Blaan term for murky waters and is tied to the Marbel River. The city is the capital of South Cotabato, and many families still use both names when they talk about the town.
When did Koronadal become a city, and how big is it?
Koronadal became a city on October 8, 2000, under Republic Act No. 8803. The 2024 census counted 201,844 residents. It is the capital of South Cotabato and carries nicknames such as Crown City of the South and Sports Mecca of the South.
When is the Hinugyaw Festival in Koronadal?
The Hinugyaw Festival is held January 8 to 10. It marks the city's foundation anniversary as a municipality and honors early settlers, including the Blaan, while giving thanks for the harvest. That is why the 2022 Christmas village was planned to run into January.
When was the T'nalak Festival in 2026?
The 27th T'nalak Festival 2026 ran on a South Cotabato calendar from July 1 to July 18, with the province's 60th Foundation Anniversary program on July 18. It honors the T'boli, whose dreamweavers make T'nalak cloth from abaca fibers. It is a summer festival, not a Christmas one, so it falls well before Pasko.
How much did Koronadal spend on its Christmas lights?
For 2019 the lights project had a budget of 790,000 pesos, including stars along General Santos Drive, and the business sector gave a 100,000-peso donation for decor. The province set aside 450,000 pesos for the 2025 Pasko sa Kapitolyo program, which opened the season at the Capitol.
Sources
- Koronadal, Wikipedia
- Koronadal City illuminates Gigantic Christmas Tree and Garden of Lights, Koronadal City Government
- Koronadal Lights up for PasKoronadal, Koronadal City Government
- Strong winds knock down Koronadal's 120-ft Christmas tree, MindaNews
- Koronadal pulls plug on Christmas display after crowds, Philippine Daily Inquirer
- Christmas Village in Koronadal Attracts Thousands of Tourists, Koronadal City Government
- South Cotabato to Open Yuletide Season with Pasko sa Kapitolyo 2025: Liwanag ng Pasko, Provincial Government of South Cotabato
- South Cotabato's grand Christmas lighting 2025 spreads joy through free holiday treats, Provincial Government of South Cotabato
- South Cotabato opens Christmas season with handcrafted capitol display, Provincial Government of South Cotabato
- T'nalak 2026 Festival Schedule of Activities, Provincial Government of South Cotabato