September is a particularly exciting time to visit Bais City, Negros Oriental.

For several days, three important celebrations come together almost back-to-back:

Hudyaka sa Bais Festival – September 7, 2026

Bais City Charter Anniversary – September 9, 2026

and

Bais City Fiesta – September 10, 2026

The main town fiesta honors San Nicolas de Tolentino, the city’s patron saint, while the colorful Hudyaka sa Bais Festival brings street dancing, elaborate costumes, floats and competitive performances to the celebration.

And for 2026, we already have some useful official information.

A City Government of Bais procurement notice specifically schedules Hudyaka sa Bais Festival for September 7, 2026, with awards prepared for the champion, runners-up, Best in Street Dancing, Hudyaka King and Queen and several minor categories. The same document also refers to an Opening Salvo on August 7 and promotional materials for the city’s Charter Day parade.

So while we are still waiting for one complete public calendar listing every concert, pageant, religious activity and event time, the major dates are already becoming clear.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Bais City Fiesta and Hudyaka Festival 2026.

Bais City Fiesta 2026 at a Glance

Celebration: Bais City Fiesta 2026
Festival: Hudyaka sa Bais Festival / Hudyaka Festival of Harvest
Location: Bais City, Negros Oriental
Opening Salvo: August 7, 2026
Hudyaka Festival: September 7, 2026
Bais City Charter Anniversary: September 9, 2026
Main fiesta: September 10, 2026
Main fiesta day: Thursday
Patron saint: San Nicolas de Tolentino
Province: Negros Oriental
Region: Negros Island Region

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bais officially identifies September 10 as the city’s annual fiesta in honor of San Nicolas de Tolentino.

Meanwhile, the Negros Oriental Provincial Government lists Hudyaka Festival on September 7, describing it as a colorful Mardi Gras celebration featuring elaborate floats held in connection with the Bais fiesta.

When Is Bais City Fiesta 2026?

The main patronal fiesta will be:

Thursday, September 10, 2026

This is the Feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino.

However, travelers interested in the complete celebration should look beyond September 10.

The strongest 2026 dates currently available are:

August 7, 2026 – Opening Salvo

The Bais City Government’s procurement documents specifically mention an Opening Salvo at the Bais City Open Field, with costumes being prepared for approximately 150 participants.

September 7, 2026 – Hudyaka sa Bais Festival

This is the big cultural festival day currently identified in the city’s official procurement documents.

September 9, 2026 – Bais City Charter Anniversary

Bais became a city on September 9, 1968, according to the city’s official profile.

That means 2026 marks 58 years since Bais became a city.

September 10, 2026 – Main City Fiesta

The celebration culminates with the Feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino, the city’s patron saint.

For visitors, September 7–10, 2026 looks like the most interesting period to be in Bais.

Hudyaka Festival 2026: What Is Already Confirmed?

We don’t yet have one complete official fiesta calendar containing every event, but Bais City’s government procurement records give us unusually specific information about Hudyaka 2026.

The festival is scheduled for:

September 7, 2026

at the Bais City Evacuation Center and Multipurpose Facility, although the city notes that dates and venues may still be changed depending on availability.

The city is already preparing awards for:

• Champion
• First Runner-Up
• Second Runner-Up
• Best in Street Dancing
• Six minor awards
• Hudyaka King
• Hudyaka Queen

Plaques are also being prepared for judges and tabulators.

That tells us something important.

Hudyaka Festival 2026 will once again include a competitive festival component rather than simply a ceremonial parade.

Hudyaka Festival 2026 Schedule: Important Dates So Far

Date	Event
August 7, 2026	Opening Salvo
September 7, 2026	Hudyaka sa Bais Festival
September 7, 2026	Street dancing competition expected based on official award categories
September 7, 2026	Hudyaka King and Queen competition/awards
September 9, 2026	Bais City Charter Anniversary
September 9, 2026	Charter Day-related parade materials already referenced by LGU
September 10, 2026	Bais City Fiesta / Feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino

The City Government’s procurement document even includes promotional materials labeled for a “Fiesta Night” and “Charter Day Parade.”

What we still need is the final public calendar telling us the exact times for these events and whether there will be major concerts, pageants, sports competitions or other nighttime programs.

What Is Hudyaka Festival?

Hudyaka is the major cultural festival associated with Bais City.

The Negros Oriental Provincial Government describes it as a secular festival rather than a purely religious festival and lists it among the province’s cultural celebrations.

Historically, Hudyaka has featured:

street dancing
Mardi Gras-style performances
large costumes
festival queens and kings
elaborate floats
drums and music
showdown competitions

The provincial tourism calendar describes the September 7 event as a celebration where Mardi Gras and elaborate floats bring secular revelry to the city’s fiesta.

That’s an important distinction.

The September 10 fiesta is fundamentally religious.

Hudyaka provides the cultural spectacle surrounding the larger celebration.

What Does “Hudyaka” Mean?

The word hudyaka is commonly associated in Visayan languages with merriment, rejoicing or festive celebration.

And that meaning fits Bais perfectly.

Hudyaka is loud.

It’s colorful.

It’s energetic.

It’s a celebration designed to fill the streets with dancers, drums and spectators.

But Bais has also developed a more specific identity around the festival.

Recent provincial tourism and festival coverage refers to the city’s contingent as:

Hudyaka sa Bais Festival of Harvest

The Philippine Information Agency used that name when identifying Bais City’s contingent at the 2025 Buglasan Festival.

That harvest identity makes sense when you consider Bais itself.

Bais Is a City Built Around Agriculture

Bais has long been associated with sugarcane.

The city’s official profile says around 73 percent of its land is devoted to agriculture, with sugarcane serving as its dominant crop and Bais remaining one of Negros Oriental’s important raw-sugar-producing areas.

That agricultural history shaped the city.

Sugar plantations.

Sugar mills.

Old houses.

Railways and infrastructure associated with the sugar industry.

Families whose livelihoods depended on agriculture.

All of that became part of Bais.

So when the festival is described today as a Festival of Harvest, the theme isn’t something randomly attached to the city.

It reflects a genuine part of Baisanon life and history.

Bais Is Also a Coastal City

Then there’s the other side of Bais.

The sea.

Bais has extensive coastal and mangrove areas, fisheries and fishponds, while the waters around Bais Bay and the Tañon Strait have turned the city into one of Negros Oriental’s recognizable ecotourism destinations.

The city’s official profile specifically highlights dolphin and whale watching as one of its tourism attractions.

That’s why older Hudyaka interpretations have also used:

fish
boats
marine creatures
fishermen
waves
sea-inspired costumes

as visual themes.

The festival can therefore pull from both sides of Bais:

the harvest from the land

and

the abundance of the sea.

The History of Hudyaka sa Bais

Hudyaka itself has gone through several versions over the years.

Historical festival accounts say Bais had a Hudyaka sa Bais Mardi Gras tradition as early as the 1940s or 1950s.

At one point, the festival identity shifted to Sipong Festival before eventually returning to the Hudyaka name.

The Negros Oriental Provincial Government still lists both Hudyaka and Sipong in its historical festival directory, while current Bais information prominently uses Hudyaka.

So if you encounter older online articles using different festival names, that is part of the reason.

For current 2026 content, Hudyaka sa Bais Festival is the relevant name.

Hudyaka Has Become a Strong Competitive Festival

Bais isn’t simply participating for fun.

Its Hudyaka contingent has become a serious competitor when Negros Oriental’s festivals come together.

At the Buglasan Festival of Festivals 2025, PIA listed Hudyaka sa Bais Festival of Harvest among the participating city and municipal festivals.

That wider festival circuit allows Bais performers to bring their choreography, costumes and local story beyond their hometown.

Older provincial Buglasan results also show Hudyaka earning recognition for its floats, demonstrating that the city has a long competitive festival tradition.

For festival enthusiasts, that makes September 7 especially interesting.

You’re not simply watching people walking in costumes.

You’re watching contingents that have trained to compete.

Hudyaka Street Dancing 2026

One award already confirmed for September 7 is:

Best in Street Dancing.

That appears directly in the City’s procurement specification for the 2026 Hudyaka trophies.

So street dancing should be one of the highlights visitors can expect.

The exact parade route and starting time still need to be released publicly.

Once those details appear, arrive early.

Bring water.

Find your viewing spot.

And expect the center of Bais to become considerably busier than on an ordinary September afternoon.

Hudyaka King and Queen 2026

The official 2026 award list also includes:

Hudyaka King and Queen.

Festival royalty is common in Negros Oriental’s competitive celebrations.

Rather than functioning like a traditional evening beauty pageant, a festival King and Queen often form part of the cultural performance itself.

Costume, interpretation, stage presence and dancing can all become important.

That makes this another event to watch once Bais releases the detailed September 7 program.

September 9: Bais City Charter Day

Here’s something that makes Bais Fiesta week different from most cities.

The city’s Charter Anniversary happens one day before the patronal fiesta.

Bais was officially converted into a city on:

September 9, 1968

according to the official city profile.

So September 9, 2026 marks 58 years of Bais cityhood.

The City Government’s 2026 Hudyaka procurement document specifically includes a Charter Day Parade promotional streamer, showing that the anniversary will again form part of the wider celebration period.

That creates a very convenient sequence for travelers:

September 7 – Hudyaka

September 8 – possible continuation of fiesta activities

September 9 – Charter Day

September 10 – patronal fiesta

If you’re traveling from outside Negros Oriental, this is another reason to stay for several days.

Bais Had Two Special Non-Working Days in 2025

The previous year’s celebration gives us another interesting clue.

In 2025, Malacañang separately declared:

September 9, 2025 – special non-working day for Bais City’s 57th Charter Anniversary

and

September 10, 2025 – special non-working day for the Hudyaka Festival of Harvests.

That’s notable because it gave Bais two consecutive local holidays.

However, those proclamations applied specifically to 2025.

As of August 24, 2026, the current LawPhil list of 2026 proclamations I checked does not yet show equivalent proclamations for Bais on September 9 or 10.

So residents should not automatically assume September 9 and 10, 2026 are already special non-working days.

Separate 2026 proclamations could still be issued.

September 10: Feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino

After the festival competitions and Charter Day activities comes the reason behind the traditional city fiesta:

San Nicolas de Tolentino

Bais City’s official government profile says the annual fiesta is celebrated every September 10 in his honor.

The tradition has deep roots and remains one of the city’s most important annual community celebrations.

On fiesta day, expect the religious program to revolve around:

Masses
devotional activities
procession
community gatherings
family celebrations

The exact parish schedule for September 10, 2026 should be confirmed once church organizers publish it.

Who Was San Nicolas de Tolentino?

San Nicolas de Tolentino was an Augustinian priest who lived in Italy during the 13th and early 14th centuries.

He became particularly associated with:

prayer
charity
care for the poor
intercession for the faithful departed

The Augustinians brought his devotion to numerous Philippine communities during the Spanish colonial period.

That helps explain why September 10 is one of the busiest fiesta dates in the Philippines.

Within this September series alone, we have already encountered San Nicolas fiestas in:

Ajuy
Cabatuan
Guimbal
Lambunao
Dauin

and now:

Bais City.

Same saint.

Same September 10 date.

But very different local celebrations.

Bais Fiesta Is Also About Coming Home

The city’s own description of the fiesta emphasizes another familiar Filipino tradition:

hospitality.

Bais says residents traditionally welcome visitors during the September 10 celebration.

That’s something you see in towns and cities all over the Philippines.

Fiesta isn’t only something happening on a stage.

It’s happening inside houses.

Family members return.

Old friends meet again.

Food is prepared in quantities that seem excessive until visitors start arriving.

One household might serve pancit and chicken.

Another might have lechon.

Someone else has seafood.

Then you visit another relative’s house—and eat again.

That’s part of the experience.

What to Eat During Bais Fiesta

Bais is both an agricultural and coastal city, so the local food environment reflects both.

Expect familiar fiesta favorites such as:

lechon
pancit
lumpia
grilled meat
chicken dishes
rice cakes
desserts

But seafood is also worth looking for.

The city says fishponds and coastal resources support significant bangus and other fisheries production.

And because you’re in Negros, don’t ignore local sweets and sugar-based delicacies either.

The sugar industry has been part of Bais for generations.

Things to Do in Bais City During Fiesta Week

One reason I really like Bais as a fiesta destination is that the celebration can easily become part of a longer trip.

There are enough attractions around the city to spend another day or two exploring.

1. Go Dolphin and Whale Watching

This is probably the best-known Bais tourism experience.

The Negros Oriental Provincial Government promotes dolphin and whale watching around Bais Bay, while Bais itself identifies the Tañon Strait marine environment as one of its major ecotourism assets.

Trips typically leave early because marine conditions are often better in the morning.

Remember, though:

Wild dolphins and whales aren’t performers.

Sightings can never be guaranteed.

Choose responsible operators and follow wildlife-viewing rules.

2. See Bais Bay

Even without joining a full dolphin-watching trip, the coastal landscape tells you a lot about Bais.

The city’s bays and mangrove areas are important habitats and livelihood zones.

They’re also part of the story reflected in Hudyaka’s marine-inspired festival imagery.

If you’re coming mainly for the street festival, spending time by the coast gives the performance themes more context.

3. Visit the Dolphin-Watching Jump-Off Area

Capiñahan Wharf has historically been used as a jump-off point for Bais dolphin-watching trips.

If you’re booking a tour, ask your operator for the current departure point rather than assuming all boats use exactly the same wharf.

Boat arrangements can change depending on operators, weather and local regulations.

4. Check Out Mercado de Bais

For a look at everyday city life, consider visiting Mercado de Bais.

The large modern public market was inaugurated in 2011 and was designed as a major commercial center for farmers, traders and producers from Bais and neighboring municipalities.

Markets are some of my favorite stops when traveling in provincial cities.

You see what people actually eat.

What farmers grow.

What fishers catch.

And what residents buy when there isn’t a festival happening.

5. Look for Bais’ Sugar Heritage

Bais developed as one of Negros Oriental’s important sugar-producing areas.

The city still highlights historic plantation houses and heritage structures associated with its sugar industry.

That history is worth exploring because it explains so much about the landscape.

Drive around Bais and you’ll see extensive agricultural land rather than purely urban development.

Sugar helped shape the economy—and the physical appearance—of the city.

What About Manjuyod Sandbar?

You’ll often see the words “Bais dolphin watching and Manjuyod Sandbar” together in travel tours.

That’s because the two are frequently combined into a single boat excursion.

But there’s an important geographic distinction:

Manjuyod Sandbar belongs to the neighboring Municipality of Manjuyod, not Bais City.

Many excursions accessed from the Bais area combine dolphin watching in the Tañon Strait with a stop around the sandbar.

So if you’re building a fiesta itinerary, you could easily do:

Day 1 – Hudyaka Festival

Day 2 – Dolphin watching + Manjuyod Sandbar

Day 3 – Bais Charter Day

Day 4 – September 10 Fiesta

That’s a pretty solid Negros Oriental trip.

When Is the Best Time for Dolphin Watching?

Negros Oriental’s provincial tourism calendar identifies the second and third quarters of the year as an established dolphin- and whale-watching period around Bais.

September falls slightly beyond that traditional window.

That doesn’t necessarily mean boat trips stop completely or sightings become impossible, but marine conditions and wildlife activity vary.

If dolphin watching is important to your September trip, ask a local tourism office or licensed operator about current conditions before booking.

And always remember that weather comes first.

Where Is Bais City?

Bais is a coastal component city in Negros Oriental, roughly 45 kilometers north of Dumaguete City.

It’s located along the main northern corridor of the province, making it relatively easy to reach by road.

Nearby destinations include:

Tanjay
Manjuyod
Mabinay
Dumaguete

That location makes Bais convenient for travelers building a wider northern Negros Oriental itinerary.

How to Get to Bais From Dumaguete

For most visitors coming from outside the province, Dumaguete is the main gateway.

From Dumaguete City, head north toward:

Sibulan → San Jose → Amlan → Tanjay → Bais

Buses and other public transportation traveling toward northern Negros Oriental can serve Bais.

Travel time depends on traffic, stops and the specific service you take.

If you’re attending the September 7 Hudyaka Festival, allow additional travel time because road closures or crowd-control measures may affect the city center.

From Cebu to Bais

Travelers coming from Cebu can reach Negros Oriental using various ferry and bus combinations depending on current services.

Another option is to reach the Dumaguete area first and continue north by road.

Ferry schedules change, so always verify the latest crossings before building a tight itinerary.

For a festival trip, leave some buffer.

You don’t want a delayed ferry to make you miss the street dancing.

Where to Stay for Bais Fiesta 2026

Bais has local accommodation options, although the tourism market is smaller than Dumaguete’s.

If your main priority is Hudyaka, Charter Day and the city fiesta, staying in Bais itself makes things easier.

You’ll be closer to:

festival venues
the city center
nighttime activities
religious events
early-morning dolphin tours

Another option is staying in Dumaguete and visiting Bais as a day trip.

That works for dolphin watching.

It’s less convenient if you plan to stay late for fiesta entertainment and then return south.

For the September 7–10 period, booking ahead is the safer choice.

Weather in Bais in September

September is part of the Philippine rainy season.

Expect:

warm temperatures
high humidity
sunny periods
rain showers
thunderstorms
possible tropical weather disturbances

This matters for both major reasons people visit Bais:

festival activities

and

boat trips.

Street dancing can be delayed by severe rain.

Dolphin-watching tours can be cancelled because of unsafe sea conditions.

Bring:

• Umbrella
• Lightweight rain jacket
• Quick-drying clothes
• Comfortable footwear
• Waterproof phone pouch
• Power bank
• Water
• Sun protection

For boat trips, follow your operator’s advice.

Never pressure a crew to sail when conditions are unsafe simply because you have limited vacation time.

Which Bais Fiesta 2026 Dates Should Travelers Prioritize?

If you can’t attend everything, here’s how I’d choose.

August 7 – Opening Salvo

Visit if you want to experience the beginning of the wider fiesta season.

September 7 – Best Day for Festival Lovers

This is currently the confirmed Hudyaka sa Bais Festival date.

Official planning already includes street-dancing awards and Hudyaka King and Queen categories.

September 9 – Best Day for Civic Celebration

This is the city’s Charter Anniversary.

Bais became a city on September 9, 1968.

September 10 – Main Religious Fiesta

This is the Feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino and the traditional annual Bais City Fiesta.

My Pick: September 7–10

If your schedule allows, stay for all four days.

That’s the period when the cultural festival, Charter Anniversary and religious fiesta come together.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bais City Fiesta 2026

When is Bais City Fiesta 2026?

The annual Bais City Fiesta is celebrated on September 10, 2026 in honor of San Nicolas de Tolentino.

What day is September 10, 2026?

September 10, 2026 falls on a Thursday.

When is Hudyaka Festival 2026?

Current Bais City Government procurement documents schedule Hudyaka sa Bais Festival for September 7, 2026.

Is Hudyaka Festival 2026 confirmed?

Yes. The City Government has already procured awards and promotional materials specifically for the September 7 festival.

Will there be street dancing?

Yes, street dancing is clearly part of the planned competition. The official trophy specifications include an award for Best in Street Dancing.

Is there a Hudyaka King and Queen?

Yes. The city’s 2026 award list includes trophies for Hudyaka King and Queen.

When is the Opening Salvo?

The City Government procurement notice identifies an Opening Salvo on August 7, 2026 at the Bais City Open Field, although it notes that activity dates and venues may still change.

When is Bais City Charter Day 2026?

Bais celebrates cityhood on September 9. The official city profile dates its conversion into a city to September 9, 1968.

What anniversary will Bais celebrate in 2026?

2026 marks 58 years since Bais became a city in 1968.

Who is the patron saint of Bais City?

The patron saint is San Nicolas de Tolentino, whose feast is celebrated on September 10.

Is Hudyaka the same as Bais City Fiesta?

Not exactly.

Hudyaka is the cultural festival associated with the celebration and is currently scheduled for September 7.

The traditional Bais City Fiesta culminates on September 10 in honor of San Nicolas de Tolentino.

Is September 9 a holiday in Bais in 2026?

As of August 24, 2026, I haven’t found a 2026 presidential proclamation declaring September 9 a special non-working day in Bais.

The date was declared a special non-working day in 2025 for the city’s 57th Charter Anniversary, but that proclamation applied only to 2025.

Is September 10 a holiday in Bais in 2026?

Again, no 2026 proclamation has been located yet as of August 24.

September 10, 2025 was declared a special non-working day for the Hudyaka Festival of Harvests, but a separate proclamation would be needed for 2026.

What is Bais City famous for?

Bais is particularly known for:

dolphin and whale watching
Bais Bay
sugarcane production
Hudyaka Festival
its September fiesta
historic sugar-industry heritage

The city officially promotes dolphin and whale watching as one of its main ecotourism experiences.

Is Manjuyod Sandbar in Bais?

No. The sandbar is associated with neighboring Manjuyod, although dolphin-watching tours from the Bais area often combine both destinations.

How far is Bais from Dumaguete?

The city’s official profile places Bais approximately 45 kilometers north of Dumaguete City.

Final Thoughts

The Bais City Fiesta and Hudyaka Festival 2026 is shaping up to be one of Negros Oriental’s most interesting September celebrations.

And this is one fiesta where the dates line up particularly well.

First comes the cultural spectacle:

September 7, 2026 – Hudyaka sa Bais Festival

The City Government is already preparing trophies for the champion, runners-up, Best in Street Dancing, minor awards and the Hudyaka King and Queen.

Then comes:

September 9, 2026 – Bais City Charter Anniversary

marking 58 years since the city’s conversion in 1968.

And finally:

September 10, 2026 – Bais City Fiesta

in honor of San Nicolas de Tolentino.

That’s three different sides of Bais in just four days.

Hudyaka gives you the culture.

Charter Day gives you civic pride.

September 10 gives you the faith and traditional fiesta.

And outside those celebrations, there’s another Bais waiting to be explored.

A city of sugar fields.

A coastal city facing waters known for dolphins and whales.

A place where agriculture and the sea have supported generations of families.

That’s what makes Hudyaka’s harvest theme work so well.

The festival isn’t celebrating something abstract.

It’s celebrating where Bais came from, what its people produce and what the city has been blessed with.

So if you’re planning a Negros Oriental trip this September, September 7–10, 2026 is a very good time to put Bais on your itinerary.

Watch the dancers.

Join the Charter Day atmosphere.

Experience the fiesta.

And if the weather and sea conditions cooperate, wake up early the next morning and head out toward the Tañon Strait.

That’s Bais in September:

festival on the streets, fiesta in the city and adventure waiting out at sea.