Gong Festival

October marks International Indigenous Peoples’ Month — and in Baguio City, the hills come alive with the deep, resonant rhythm of the gong.

Each year, proud Indigenous communities from across the Cordillera converge on Baguio to celebrate and share their culture — not just as performance, but as living tradition. At the heart of it all is the Gong Festival, a vibrant, public celebration born from IPEACE (Indigenous Peoples’ Education for Arts, Culture, and Empowerment). It’s a feast of traditional dance, powerful music, cultural workshops, and exhilarating Indigenous sports.

Now entering its 13th year in 2025, the Gong Festival has grown into a month-long celebration rooted in the spirit of the grand canyao — a Cordilleran tradition of gathering to honor identity, community, and the sacred. Representing the six provinces and two cities of the Cordillera Administrative Region, the festival features:

• A rousing street parade through Baguio’s heart the Iconic Session Road,
• Cultural performances by grassroots community groups,
• IP games like stilt races and tug-of-war,
• And educational sessions sharing Indigenous knowledge.

The gong, shared across Cordilleran tribes like the Ifugao, Ibaloi, Kalinga, Isneg, and Tingguian, is more than an instrument — it’s a symbol of unity, ceremony, and spirit. The festival’s dance section opens with a prayer to Kabunyan, and watching 1,500 dancers stand still in reverent silence before erupting into motion is something unforgettable.

I first experienced the IP Games in 2019 — barefooted youths racing and grappling along the steep slope of Session Road while the crowd roared. In 2020 and 2021, I watched online from Australia as the festival endured the pandemic. In 2022, I lent a hand during a last-minute relocation to the Porta Vaga car park during a late typhoon. Then in 2023, I had the honor of helping plan the festival — an unexpected but deeply meaningful opportunity. I wore the Ifugao bahag in solidarity and celebration of the culture of friends who welcomed me into their world.

The Gong Festival is Baguio’s heartbeat during Indigenous Peoples’ Month — open to all, driven by the communities who live the traditions every day.

Check our events section for this year’s festival schedule — and come feel the rhythm for yourself.