Rally is researching the season
Christmas with kids in Naga
Naga City in Camarines Sur is the Heart of Bicol, a river city founded as Nueva Cáceres in 1575. Its December runs from lit plazas to a Black Nazarene feast that begins on New Year's Eve.
Christmas events for 2026 are coming in late November
We’re checking this season’s Christmas events in Naga with every host. Subscribe and we’ll email you the day they go live.
Free. We’ll email you the day they go live, then once a week with new events in Naga. Unsubscribe at any time.
The story of Christmas in Naga
A river city, a Marian fiesta and two town plazas
Naga was founded as Nueva Cáceres in 1575 under Governor-General Francisco de Sande, and it is known as the Heart of Bicol because of where it sits on the peninsula. Its biggest religious celebration is not in December but in September, the Peñafrancia Festival for Our Lady of Peñafrancia. At Christmas the city gathers at Plaza Rizal and Plaza Quezon, which a local hotel in December 2024 described as decorated with lights, trees and holiday themes, with performances and food stalls.
Three Christmas villages around the city, per a December 30, 2024 guide
No 2025 tree lighting or parade for Naga is confirmed, so this section sticks to the latest guide. A hotel guide dated December 30, 2024 names three Christmas villages around the city: one at Primus Hotel in Pacol, Naga City; the Camsur Watersports Complex in Pili, with a grand tree, fountain installations, boat parades and a Christmas bazaar; and Camaligan River Park, with twinkling lights, a riverside market and a Christmas river cruise on the Bicol River. No dates were given, and it is not confirmed that they ran again in 2025.
Black Nazarene rites that start on New Year's Eve
Naga's holiday stretch runs past Christmas. In the 2022 to 2023 season the Black Nazarene rites began on December 31 at St. Joseph Parish in Barangay Palsong, Bula, and the image moved to Holy Cross Parish in Tabuco. Rites ran daily from 3:00 to 5:30 PM until January 8, when a procession carried the image to Plaza Quezon. The feast day was January 9. The city website also lists 2026 ordinances for Paskuhan sa Barangay and a fund for it, though no dates were given.
Traditions today
- Plaza Rizal and Plaza Quezon: As of December 2024, the two central plazas carry the city's lights, trees and holiday themes.
- Christmas villages outside the center: A local hotel guide names Primus Hotel's Christmas village in Pacol, the Camsur Watersports Complex in Pili and the Camaligan River Park village.
- Paskuhan sa Barangay: In 2026 the city government listed an ordinance and a fund for Paskuhan sa Barangay, neighborhood Christmas celebrations. Nationwide they usually mean parol displays, caroling and community feasts.
- Black Nazarene feast: Rites start on December 31 and end with the January 9 feast and a procession to Plaza Quezon, as recorded for the 2022 to 2023 season.
- Camaligan River Park village: A December 2024 hotel guide describes twinkling lights, a riverside market and a Christmas river cruise on the Bicol River.
A fact for kids
Naga's old name was Nueva Cáceres, and today it has 27 barangays, which is 27 neighborhoods to explore.
Questions about Christmas in Naga
Is Naga in Camarines Sur the same as Naga in Cebu?
No. Naga City in Camarines Sur is the Heart of Bicol and was founded as Nueva Cáceres in 1575. Naga in Cebu is a separate city. This page covers the Bicol city only, so check the province before you plan a drive.
Why is Naga called the Heart of Bicol?
The city earned the nickname from its central position on the Bicol Peninsula. Naga is also the seat of a large September pilgrimage for Our Lady of Peñafrancia, which is one reason families from across the region travel there during the year.
When was Naga founded and what was it called?
Naga was established in 1575 as Nueva Cáceres, ordered by Governor-General Francisco de Sande. A papal bull dated August 14, 1595 identified Nueva Cáceres, and the city's royal charter is listed under that year. Its population was 210,545 in the 2024 census.
Where do people see Christmas lights in downtown Naga?
A December 2024 hotel guide described Plaza Rizal and Plaza Quezon in the city center as decorated with lights, Christmas trees and holiday themes, with musical and cultural performances and food stalls. It gave no dates, so confirm the schedule with the city government before going.
Besides the plazas, where can kids see Christmas villages near Naga?
The same hotel guide names three: the Christmas village at Primus Hotel in Pacol, Naga City, the Camsur Watersports Complex in Pili, and the Camaligan River Park village on the Bicol River. It listed no years or dates, so check each venue before you drive.
What can families do at the Camaligan River Park Christmas village?
The village sits on the banks of the Bicol River with twinkling lights and themed displays. Visitors can browse a riverside market for handmade gifts and local snacks, or take a Christmas river cruise. Camaligan is a short trip from Naga.
What is at the Camsur Watersports Complex at Christmas?
The hotel guide says the complex in Pili has a grand Christmas tree and fountain installations. Seasonal extras it mentioned were boat parades and a Christmas bazaar. No dates were given, so ask the complex or the city before you go with children.
What is Paskuhan sa Barangay in Naga?
Naga's city website lists Ordinance No. 2026-103, Paskuhan sa Barangay, and No. 2026-102, a fund for it. Nationally the name means neighborhood Christmas celebrations such as parol displays, caroling and community feasts. The city listed no dates or venues for Naga's version yet.
Is there a Christmas tree lighting in Naga City in 2026?
No 2026 date has been confirmed for a Naga tree lighting. The city government's site lists Paskuhan sa Barangay ordinances for 2026 but no schedule. Rally Takes the Train's Naga Christmas events guide will list dates once a host or the city confirms them.
What are the best Christmas activities for families in Naga?
The likeliest stops are the lit plazas, Plaza Rizal and Plaza Quezon, and the Christmas villages in Pacol, Pili and Camaligan. Those were described for December 2024, not 2026. Rally Takes the Train's Naga Christmas events guide will show anything with a confirmed date.
Where can I go with kids for Christmas in Naga on a single evening?
The city-center plazas are the simplest choice. The December 2024 hotel guide said Plaza Rizal and Plaza Quezon had lights, trees, performances and food stalls. Pair it with a visit to SM City Naga at Ninoy and Cory Aquino Avenue, which is in Central Business District II.
Where should we spend Christmas Day in Naga with young children?
No Christmas Day program has been confirmed for Naga. The plazas and the villages in Pacol, Pili and Camaligan were holiday spots in December 2024. Call ahead because hours on December 25 are not given. Rally Takes the Train's Naga guide will add confirmed dates.
Where is SM City Naga and when did it open?
SM City Naga is on Ninoy and Cory Aquino Avenue in Central Business District II, Barangay Triangulo. It opened May 1, 2009 as the 34th SM Supermall and the first in Bicol. A major expansion began in late 2024, which closed the open front parking lot for a time.
Which Naga-area Christmas spots have a big tree?
A December 2024 hotel guide mentions towering trees at Plaza Rizal and Plaza Quezon in the city center, and a grand Christmas tree at the Camsur Watersports Complex in Pili. No dates were given, so families should ask the city government or the venue about this season's displays before driving out.
What is the Black Nazarene celebration in Naga?
It is a religious feast with rites that began on December 31, 2022 and ran daily from 3:00 to 5:30 PM. On January 8 a procession took the image to Plaza Quezon, and the feast day was January 9. The city page called it the festival's 34th year.
How long does the Black Nazarene procession in Naga last?
The city's page on the 2022 to 2023 feast said the penitential procession around Centro took about 2 hours. It began at 6:30 PM on January 8 and ended at Plaza Quezon. Young children may find the crowds and the late hour tiring, so plan a short visit.
When is the Peñafrancia Festival, and is it part of Christmas?
The feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia falls on the third Saturday and third Sunday of September, so it is not a Christmas event. It matters for the city's calendar because Naga hosts one of the largest Marian pilgrimages in Asia, well before Advent begins.
How does Naga mark its charter anniversary?
On June 18, 2024, Naga held its 76th charter anniversary at Plaza Rizal, with over 1,000 people and the launch of its tourism brand NagaYon. The city has 27 barangays. This is a June event, so families planning for December should look at the plazas instead.
Which Naga is this Christmas page about?
This page is for Naga City in Camarines Sur, the Heart of Bicol, with a 2024 census population of 210,545. It is not Naga in Cebu. Several of the places named here, such as Plaza Rizal, Plaza Quezon and SM City Naga, are in the Bicol city, so search with Camarines Sur in the address before you travel.
How can I explain the Naga plazas at Christmas to young kids?
Tell them the two big plazas in the city center get lights and trees at Christmas, and people come to watch performances and eat from food stalls. Plaza Quezon is also where the Black Nazarene procession ends each January. Keep it short and let them point out the lights.
Sources
- Discover the Magic of Christmas Villages Near UMA Hotel and Residences in Naga City, UMA Hotel
- Naga, Camarines Sur, Wikipedia
- Celebrating Naga's 76th Charter Day and the NagaYon brand, City Government of Naga
- SM City Naga, Wikipedia
- Investment Wrapped 2025: A Year of Growth and Strategic Momentum, City Government of Naga
- Black Nazarene feast, Naga City, City Government of Naga
- City of Naga website, ordinance list, City Government of Naga
- Paskuhan sa Barangay, Philippines Travel Guide