Pulilan Carabao Festival is held in Pulilan, Bulacan every May 15 of each year. But before the festivities itself, a number of events, and practices must be implemented before the merrymaking. According to Mr. Angel Madrid Tagle, the Hermano Mayor for this year’s Pistang Bayan 2007, The Pulilan Carabao Festival was created because Carabao is the main key in farming and a constant companion of farmers during planting and harvest, but the main reason of this event is to honor their patron saint, San Isidro Labrador.

According to history, around 500 years ago, people have no surnames like the ones we have now. People are identified in olden times through their occupation. Thus, the name Labrador, which means Laborer, represents any labor or hard work people used to do. San Isidro used to plow a land that is not his own, he is just a tenant of the land. Though he always arrived late for work, he always seem to finish the work he has to do for the day. The landlord was wondering how San Isidro was able to this. Due to his curiosity, one day, he visited the field to investigate, just to find, an angel, who is plowing the field. The landlord knelt down in awe. From that time on, people will see a man kneeling down beside the image of San Isidro, that man is his landlord.

Before the Pulilan Carabao Festival, the people will have to have Novena for 9 days and do the Paseo, a procession of the patron saint to the different towns of Bulacan for 24 days, before they can celebrate the feast of this festival.

May 14, the day before the Pulilan Carabao Festival, is one of the highlights of the event. It was started by the La Tore around noon represented by 4 Drum and Lyre bands with majorette dancers leading the way. La Tore is a performance done by these respective bands, lined up in front of the church as they perform their own marching ensembles one at a time, showing off their talents to the crowd. After which, the bands performed one musical piece which they practiced separately and performed in unison before the La tore ends.

By 2:00pm, the carabaos and its floats gathered in one area to start the procession. One by onethe carabaos with their respective floats started the parade. Not only that, different drum and lyre bands and their majorettes stop by the church to make a short performance. Cultural dancers performed and awe the crowd with their graceful dance moves, colorful costumes and props. Bulakenos are  

What makes this festival unique, is that carabaos were trained to kneel before the church as they pass by. Some even get to walk a mile or so on their knees. This is truly a sight to see for both locals and tourists alike. Around 19 barangays of Bulacan joined this procession with floats, and more than 300 carabaos from different towns joined the parade as well.