There are Philippine festivals built around flowers, fruits, harvests and religious images.
Then there is San Mateo, Rizal, where one of the biggest celebrations of the year puts something much closer to the Filipino stomach at center stage:
kakanin.
Suman. Puto. Kutsinta. Biko. Palitaw. Sapin-sapin. Bibingka. Puto bumbong.
Every September 9, these familiar Filipino rice delicacies become more than merienda. They become part of a colorful celebration involving decorated floats, street dancers, schools, community organizations and thousands of residents honoring San Mateo’s patroness, Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.
This is the Kakanin Festival, also known as the Parada ng Kakanin.
And although the food naturally gets plenty of attention, the festival isn’t simply a giant rice-cake fair.
Kakanin became part of San Mateo’s identity because rice and rice-based delicacies once supported the livelihoods of many local families. The festival later combined that food heritage with the town’s centuries-old Marian devotion, turning an ordinary Filipino food tradition into one of Rizal province’s most distinctive fiestas.
So if you’ve ever wondered why San Mateo celebrates rice cakes every September—or why the festival is closely connected with Our Lady of Aranzazu—here’s the story.
Content
Kakanin Festival at a Glance
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Festival | Kakanin Festival / Parada ng Kakanin |
| Location | San Mateo, Rizal |
| Region | CALABARZON / Region IV-A |
| Main festival date | September 9 |
| Religious celebration | Feast of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu |
| Patroness | Our Lady of Aranzazu |
| Festival character | Culinary, cultural and religious |
| Major attractions | Kakanin parade, decorated floats and street dancing |
| Featured food | Suman, puto, kutsinta, palitaw, biko, sapin-sapin, bibingka and other rice delicacies |
| Modern festival origin | Late 1990s |
| Broader celebration | San Mateo Rizal Septemberfest |
What Is the Kakanin Festival?
The Kakanin Festival is San Mateo’s annual celebration of its traditional rice delicacies, local culture and devotion to Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.
It is traditionally held on September 9, the feast day of the town’s Marian patroness.
The Rizal Provincial Government describes the festival as a parade of rice delicacies accompanied by traditional dances. Parishioners, devotees and organizations participate using decorated floats displaying different varieties of kakanin associated with the municipality.
But what makes the celebration particularly Filipino is what happens to the food.
Historically, kakanin displayed during the festival has been shared with participants and visitors after the celebration.
Think about that for a moment.
The community celebrates one of its traditional livelihoods by preparing huge amounts of food—and then giving some of it away.
That’s probably one of the easiest festival traditions in the country to understand.
Why Does San Mateo Celebrate Kakanin?
The answer begins with rice.
San Mateo today is increasingly urbanized, especially because of its proximity to Marikina, Quezon City and Metro Manila.
But older San Mateo looked very different.
Historical accounts surrounding the festival describe the municipality as having once contained extensive rice fields. Rice was plentiful, and making rice-based delicacies eventually became a source of livelihood for local residents. Some sold their products in markets, others operated stores, while many traditionally carried their kakanin from place to place in baskets.
That gives the festival a much deeper meaning.
The kakanin aren’t there simply because Filipinos enjoy eating them.
They represent work.
They represent small family businesses.
They represent agriculture.
And they recall an earlier San Mateo before subdivisions, commercial developments and expanding urban neighborhoods changed much of the landscape.
The Kakanin Makers of San Mateo
Imagine San Mateo decades ago.
Rice fields were closer to everyday life.
Families had recipes they learned from parents and grandparents.
Sticky rice was cooked with coconut milk and sugar.
Rice flour became puto.
Different mixtures were steamed, wrapped, boiled or grilled.
Then those delicacies were sold.
For many families, something as simple as a basket of suman or puto could contribute to everyday household income.
The Rizal Provincial Government specifically notes that kakanin became an important livelihood for residents, whether products were peddled in baskets, sold in public markets or offered from permanent stores.
That livelihood connection is one reason the festival feels more meaningful than simply declaring September 9 a “rice cake day.”
The festival celebrates people as much as food.
What Kakanin Can You See During the Festival?
The exact selection can vary, but official descriptions of the festival repeatedly mention several Filipino favorites:
- suman
- puto
- kutsinta
- palitaw
- sapin-sapin
- biko
- bibingka
- puto bumbong
These are the kinds of foods that immediately make sense on a Filipino dining table.
And because each one can have dozens of regional or family variations, the word “kakanin” covers an enormous range of textures, colors and flavors.
Some are sticky.
Some are soft and steamed.
Some rely heavily on coconut.
Others use brown sugar or latik.
Some are wrapped in banana leaves.
And some are foods most Filipinos strongly associate with Christmas, yet they become perfectly appropriate in September once you place them inside a festival celebrating rice delicacies.
Suman
Suman is probably one of the most recognizable examples.
Glutinous rice is traditionally cooked and wrapped, commonly in banana or palm leaves depending on the recipe.
What makes suman interesting is how many different versions exist across the Philippines.
Some are plain and meant to be eaten with sugar.
Others are richer.
Some are served with coconut sauce.
The wrapping itself can vary dramatically between regions.
At a festival like San Mateo’s, suman represents the kind of everyday Filipino food that rarely needs an introduction.
Puto and Kutsinta
Puto is another festival staple.
These steamed rice cakes can range from simple white puto to colorful modern versions topped with cheese, salted egg or other ingredients.
Kutsinta is different—typically darker, denser and slightly chewy.
They’re the kinds of foods Filipinos might normally eat for breakfast or merienda without thinking of them as particularly ceremonial.
And that is actually part of the charm of Kakanin Festival.
The celebration takes familiar food and tells people:
This is part of our heritage too.
Biko, Sapin-Sapin and Palitaw
Then there are the heavier desserts.
Biko combines sticky rice with coconut milk and sugar, usually with a rich topping.
Sapin-sapin turns rice-based ingredients into colorful layers.
Palitaw is much simpler-looking but instantly recognizable once coated with grated coconut, sugar and sesame seeds.
Put all of these together on one enormous display and you begin to understand why kakanin works so well visually as a festival theme.
This isn’t just brown and white rice.
It’s purple.
Green.
Yellow.
Pink.
Orange.
Different shapes.
Different textures.
Different wrappings.
Food becomes decoration.
The Parada ng Kakanin
The parade is the festival’s signature attraction.
Participating barangays, organizations, schools, parish groups and other delegations travel through San Mateo with decorated floats.
And the floats aren’t supposed to look like ordinary vehicles with banners attached.
Kakanin becomes part of the theme.
Rice delicacies may be displayed alongside woven materials, agricultural imagery, flowers and decorations representing San Mateo’s culture.
Traditional dance performances accompany the parade, while modern editions have also developed a competitive street-dancing component.
That transforms the event from a food parade into a full cultural spectacle.
Kakanin Festival Street Dancing
Street dancing has become one of the most energetic parts of the celebration.
Recent editions have included performances by public-school contingents competing in elementary and high-school categories.
During the 27th Kakanin Festival in 2025, San Mateo’s municipal government held a Street Dance Competition alongside the floats and other festival activities. The LGU described the annual celebration as reflecting the rich culture and history of the municipality.
The performances give choreographers plenty of material to work with.
Think about the possible themes:
rice planting,
harvesting,
cooking,
kakanin vendors,
community life,
thanksgiving,
and devotion to the Virgin of Aranzazu.
Even a simple bilao can become a dance prop.
A basket can become part of a formation.
Costumes can borrow colors from rice cakes, banana leaves or local agricultural traditions.
And because San Mateo’s festival is tied to food, dancers can create something playful without losing the connection to local history.
The Festival Floats
The floats are another highlight.
Older festival descriptions specifically mention parishioners, devotees and organizations joining the parade aboard grand floats presenting the kakanin that San Mateo is proud of.
Modern floats can be much more elaborate.
Some focus heavily on food.
Others emphasize agriculture.
Some feature representatives from barangays or organizations.
Recent festivals have also included the Hiyas ng Kakanin and their consorts riding with delegations.
When the parade is moving through the center of San Mateo, you get a mix of everything:
dancers,
floats,
music,
food,
devotees,
students,
local officials,
families,
and spectators several rows deep along the street.
That’s the point where Kakanin Festival stops feeling like a simple food event and becomes a real town fiesta.
How Did Kakanin Festival Begin?
The modern Kakanin Festival is much younger than the devotion surrounding San Mateo’s patroness.
An account published by the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aranzazu credits then-parish priest Msgr. Manuel Balbago Jr. with introducing the Kakanin Festival as part of the annual celebration of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu. The available historical references place its beginning in the late 1990s.
That period is useful to remember.
The religious fiesta had already existed for generations.
Kakanin Festival came later as a way of adding a cultural and livelihood dimension to the celebration.
And it worked.
By 2025, San Mateo was officially celebrating its 27th Kakanin Festival.
A town food tradition had become an annual institution.
Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu: The Heart of the Fiesta
You can easily attend Kakanin Festival, photograph the dancers and eat rice cakes without realizing that the most important figure in the celebration isn’t actually food.
It’s Mary.
More specifically, Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu, or Our Lady of Aranzazu.
Her feast is celebrated every September 9, and the Kakanin Festival is held in her honor. The National Shrine says devotees and pilgrims gather on the feast day while the Parada ng Kakanin takes place as part of the celebration.
That religious connection is important.
Kakanin Festival isn’t separate from the fiesta.
It grew from it.
How Did Devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu Reach San Mateo?
San Mateo’s Catholic history stretches back to the Spanish colonial period.
The National Shrine traces the area’s early mission history to 1596. A parish dedicated to St. Matthew was established later, but after the Jesuits assumed responsibility for the community, Fr. Juan Echazabal introduced devotion to Our Lady of Aranzazu in 1705.
A church associated with the devotion followed, and Aranzazu eventually became San Mateo’s patroness.
That means the Marian devotion is roughly three centuries older than the Kakanin Festival.
So while the street parade is relatively modern, the faith surrounding September 9 is anything but new.
Where Did Our Lady of Aranzazu Come From?
The original devotion comes from the Basque Country in Spain.
The National Shrine’s history recounts the tradition of a Marian image associated with Aranzazu in present-day Gipuzkoa, dating to the 15th century. St. Ignatius of Loyola also visited the Spanish shrine during his spiritual journey in 1522.
When Jesuit missionary Fr. Juan Echazabal later served in San Mateo, he brought that devotion with him.
Over the generations, what began as a Spanish Marian title became deeply Filipino—and deeply San Mateo.
Today, for many residents, Our Lady of Aranzazu isn’t some distant European devotion.
She is simply the patroness of their town.
The National Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Aranzazu
The spiritual center of the fiesta is the National Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Aranzazu in San Mateo.
The historic church has gone through destruction, rebuilding and major changes over the centuries. The first concrete church mentioned in the shrine’s historical account was built in the early 18th century and later destroyed by the destructive 1863 earthquake.
The parish was elevated to diocesan-shrine status in 2004 as devotion continued to grow.
Today, the church becomes particularly busy around September 9.
Devotees attend Mass.
Families visit.
Pilgrims arrive.
The Kakanin Festival parade takes place.
And later, attention turns toward the religious procession.
Kakanin Festival vs. Aranzazu Fiesta
It’s useful to distinguish the two.
The Feast of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu is the religious celebration.
Kakanin Festival or Parada ng Kakanin is the major cultural and culinary celebration held in connection with that feast.
They happen together, but they aren’t exactly the same thing.
The festival gives San Mateo’s food, livelihood and local history a stage.
The fiesta centers on religious devotion.
During September 9, those two sides overlap.
In the morning you may be watching dancers carrying colorful props.
Hours later, the mood may shift toward prayer and procession.
That combination is very Filipino.
The Religious Procession
The afternoon religious procession provides a very different atmosphere from the cultural parade.
The Marian image moves through San Mateo accompanied by devotees.
There may still be music.
There may still be crowds.
But the focus shifts from competition and food toward devotion.
The Shrine identifies September 9 as the annual feast when thousands of parishioners and pilgrims traditionally gather to honor Our Lady of Aranzazu.
If you’re attending Kakanin Festival for the first time, I would try to experience both sides.
Watch the parade.
Try the food.
Enjoy the dancing.
But also visit the shrine.
Otherwise, you’re only seeing half of the story.
Why Kakanin Works So Well as a Festival Symbol
There is something wonderfully ordinary about kakanin.
These aren’t luxury foods.
They weren’t invented by celebrity chefs.
They’re foods associated with markets, neighborhood vendors, family gatherings, merienda and recipes passed from one generation to another.
That’s exactly why they work.
Culture doesn’t always have to be monumental.
Sometimes heritage is a grandmother knowing exactly how long to steam puto without looking at a timer.
It’s someone waking up early to prepare suman.
It’s banana leaves being warmed before wrapping sticky rice.
It’s a vendor carrying food through a neighborhood.
Those things rarely appear in history textbooks.
But festivals can preserve them.
Kakanin Festival essentially tells San Mateo:
These everyday traditions are worth remembering.
Food, Faith and Thanksgiving
This is probably the simplest way to understand the festival.
Kakanin represents livelihood.
The parade represents community.
September 9 represents faith.
Put those together and you get thanksgiving.
The Rizal Provincial Government describes the festival as showcasing a bountiful year for San Mateo, while the parade and food sharing take place alongside the religious celebration.
So even though Kakanin Festival is fun, the deeper theme isn’t simply eating.
It’s gratitude.
Gratitude for food.
For livelihood.
For another year.
For community.
And, for devotees, for the protection and intercession of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.
Kakanin Festival and San Mateo Septemberfest
Visitors may encounter another name during September:
San Mateo Rizal Septemberfest.
Septemberfest is the broader municipal celebration.
San Mateo’s Municipal Tourism Office specifically identifies Septemberfest as one of its major programs and says it includes both the Feast of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu and the Kakanin Festival.
This distinction helps explain why San Mateo can have activities throughout much of September even though the main fiesta falls on September 9.
Septemberfest programs in recent years have gone beyond food and religion to include sports, markets, community services, competitions and entertainment.
Kakanin Festival is one of its signature events.
But Septemberfest is bigger than Kakanin Festival alone.
What Is Kakanin Festival Like in Person?
Expect crowds.
September 9 is one of San Mateo’s biggest community dates.
Major roads around the traditional parade route can become busy or temporarily closed.
Schools and community groups gather early.
Performers prepare costumes.
Floats assemble.
Food vendors set up.
Families begin finding places along the route.
Then the parade starts.
Music approaches.
The first dancers appear.
Floats follow.
Another contingent arrives.
And somewhere among all of that are the foods the entire festival is named after.
Later, the morning festival atmosphere gives way to the religious activities of the feast.
It’s one of those events where staying for only thirty minutes doesn’t really show you what is happening.
Give it time.
Visiting Kakanin Festival for the First Time
The easiest mistake is arriving too late.
If you want a good viewing position for the parade, come early.
Festival road closures can also make transportation more complicated than on an ordinary San Mateo morning.
The 2025 celebration, for example, required full or controlled road closures along portions of Sta. Ana, Guitnang Bayan and Dulong Bayan for the parade and procession. Those exact routes can change, but they illustrate how much the fiesta affects central San Mateo.
Wear comfortable shoes.
You’re probably going to walk.
And September is part of the rainy season, so prepare for both intense sun and sudden rain.
A small umbrella or light rain jacket is worth carrying.
So is waterproof protection for your phone.
Come Hungry
This is probably the one festival where I don’t need to explain why.
Eat the kakanin.
Don’t just photograph it.
Try familiar varieties first.
Then look for something you don’t normally buy at home.
Ask vendors what they recommend.
And if you find a family business that has been making the same delicacy for years, that’s even better.
The entire point of a food festival is lost if everyone photographs the food but nobody eats it.
Respect the Religious Celebration
September 9 isn’t only a tourism event.
The shrine remains an active place of worship.
Devotees may be praying, attending Mass or joining the procession.
If you’re photographing inside or near the church, give worshippers space.
Don’t block processional routes.
And don’t treat the Marian image as simply another festival decoration.
For many people around you, this is the most important part of the day.
Getting to San Mateo, Rizal
One advantage of Kakanin Festival is accessibility.
San Mateo lies directly beside the eastern side of Metro Manila and is particularly convenient from Marikina and Quezon City compared with festivals requiring flights or long provincial bus journeys.
That makes the celebration possible as a day trip for many Metro Manila residents.
But festival traffic changes the calculation.
A normally manageable journey can take much longer when roads around the center are closed or congested.
If possible, travel early and avoid relying on an exact arrival time.
Exploring San Mateo Beyond Kakanin Festival
San Mateo offers a very different landscape once you travel away from the urban center.
The municipality rises toward the Sierra Madre foothills and has become particularly popular with cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts.
So a festival visit doesn’t necessarily have to end with September 9.
You can experience the crowded fiesta in the poblacion, then see a much quieter side of San Mateo farther uphill.
That contrast is actually useful for understanding the place.
Modern San Mateo is both an urbanizing municipality beside Metro Manila and a community still closely connected with mountain areas, agriculture and older local traditions.
Kakanin Festival Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kakanin Festival celebrated?
Kakanin Festival is celebrated in San Mateo, Rizal, in the CALABARZON region.
When is Kakanin Festival?
The main Kakanin Festival is traditionally celebrated every September 9, together with the Feast of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.
What is Kakanin Festival famous for?
It is best known for the Parada ng Kakanin, decorated floats, Filipino rice delicacies and street-dancing performances.
Why does San Mateo celebrate kakanin?
Rice and kakanin-making historically formed part of San Mateo’s agriculture and local livelihood. Many residents sold rice delicacies in markets, stores or by carrying them through communities.
What foods are featured at Kakanin Festival?
Official festival descriptions mention suman, puto, kutsinta, palitaw, sapin-sapin, biko, bibingka and puto bumbong, among other rice delicacies.
Who is the patroness of San Mateo, Rizal?
Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu, or Our Lady of Aranzazu, is the Marian patroness honored during San Mateo’s September 9 fiesta.
Who started Kakanin Festival?
The National Shrine’s historical account credits former parish priest Msgr. Manuel Balbago Jr. with introducing the festival as part of the feast of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.
When did Kakanin Festival begin?
Available historical accounts place the beginning of the modern Kakanin Festival in the late 1990s. San Mateo officially celebrated its 27th edition in 2025.
Is Kakanin Festival a religious festival?
It has both cultural and religious dimensions.
The kakanin parade highlights local food and livelihood, while the celebration is held in connection with the September 9 feast of Our Lady of Aranzazu.
Is Kakanin Festival the same as Septemberfest?
No.
Kakanin Festival is one of San Mateo’s signature September events.
Septemberfest is the broader municipal celebration that incorporates the Kakanin Festival and Aranzazu fiesta alongside other community activities.
Kakanin Festival 2026
This guide is designed to remain useful from year to year, but travelers planning specifically for 2026 should remember the most important established date:
September 9, 2026 — Kakanin Festival and Feast of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu
San Mateo’s Septemberfest 2026 is already underway, with the municipality promoting activities throughout September. The Kakanin Festival remains one of the celebration’s central traditions and is historically tied to the September 9 feast.
The San Mateo LGU officially called the 2025 celebration the 27th Kakanin Festival. If its annual numbering continues normally, 2026 would logically be the 28th edition, although I would wait for the LGU’s own 2026 Kakanin materials before treating “28th Kakanin Festival” as formally confirmed.
Anyone attending specifically for the 2026 parade should check the latest San Mateo LGU and National Shrine announcements for the final parade time, road closures, procession schedule and route before traveling.
Final Thoughts
There is something almost perfect about San Mateo building a festival around kakanin.
Because kakanin is ordinary.
It’s the kind of food you buy at a market.
The kind someone brings home in a plastic container.
The kind a grandmother serves when relatives visit.
It’s inexpensive, familiar and deeply Filipino.
But look a little closer and there is history inside it.
Rice fields.
Farmers.
Small vendors.
Family recipes.
Early mornings spent cooking.
Income earned one tray at a time.
Then San Mateo took all of that and connected it with something even older—the town’s centuries-long devotion to Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.
That is what gives Kakanin Festival its character.
You come for the colorful floats.
You watch the dancers.
You eat suman or puto.
You hear the music.
But underneath everything is a celebration of livelihood, faith and community.
And every September 9, something as simple as a Filipino rice cake becomes part of the story of an entire town.
