PEOPLE eating pinakbet (Ilocano vegetable stew). (Liezle Basa-Inigo)
VILLASIS, Pangasinan – This municipality is celebrating its town fiesta this year from Jan. 10 to 17, with the Talong or Eggplant Festival as the highlight.
The fiesta underscores Villasis’ identity as the vegetable bowl of Pangasinan, blending agriculture, culture, and entertainment into one vibrant event.
The Talong Festival on Jan. 16 will feature farm field demonstrations, the crowd-favorite Pinakbet sa Kawa, eggplant cookfest, and lively competitions, showcasing the versatility and importance of eggplant in local cuisine and livelihood.
A concert and grand fireworks display will cap the day.
Other fiesta activities are cultural shows, sports events, pageants, sectoral nights, and the civic parade leading to the feast of Saint Anthony Abbot and coronation and balikbayan (returning Filipino) night on Jan. 17.
Local officials invited the public to join the festivities, highlighting the Talong Festival as a symbol of Villasis’ agricultural pride and community unity.