A Guide to Must-see Pinoy Holiday Attractions in 2015

Makati

• Ayala Triangle's Lights and Sounds Show

Photo by Jazer Basan

Dates: now until January 4, 2016
Venue: Ayala Triangle, Ayala Avenue, Makati City
Witness a beautiful 5-minute display of lights and sounds featuring millions of multi-colored LED lights, shaped rays, long beams, fogs and lasers all synchronized to the sound of Christmas songs. Playing now until January 4, 2016, it plays every 30 minutes from 6PM to 10PM.


• The Secret Garden at Onstage Theater, Greenbelt Mall

Dates: November 20 to December 15, 2015
Venue: Onstage Theatre 2nd Floor, Greenbelt Mall 1 Paseo de Roxas St., Makati City
Repertory Philippines opens the gates to “The Secret Garden” as its Christmas season treat for theater goers. It tells the story of a young girl, born and raised in India, who finds herself suddenly orphaned, and goes to live with her uncle in England.  She discovers a garden, neglected for years and almost dead, and a young cousin bedridden and miserable. With the help of a housemaid and a friendly young gardener, she brings both the garden and her cousin to life. Ticket prices range from P500 to P1,000. For more details, call 8433570 or Ticketworld at 8919999.


• Christmas Cantata at Rockwell

Dates: All Sundays of December
Weekends will be twice as exciting as Rockwell brings the festive cheer to the mall and enjoy a fantastic selection of Christmas carols sung by different choirs.

Also, bring the kids to Santa’s Wishing Station, get to meet the roaming Santa, witness the fireworks and other kiddie attractions in celebration of Rockwell's 20th anniversary. For more details, call 8981702 or visit http://www.powerplantmall.com


Mandaluyong

• Art in Island at SM Megamall

Dates: November 12 to December 31, 2015
Venue: Event Center, Lower Ground of Megamall A, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Get your cameras ready for this interactive 3D Christmas art museum. Mall goers who spend P500 worth from any SM Megamall shops and restaurants will only have to pay P120 to gain access to the museum. For details, call 6335042-46.


• Policarpio Street

Photo from Lyn Ching's Instagram account

Step into a bedazzling Christmas street without leaving Metro Manila. Decorated and well lighted houses, nativity scenes, variety of Santas and gracious home owners.


Manila

• Paskong Sulit sa Tutuban Center

Dates: November 14 to December 19, 2015
Venue: C. M. Recto Avenue, City of Manila
Enjoy a paradise of bargains all night at the Tutuban Night Market and take the kids for a ride at the Carnival for a minimal fee. Don’t miss their Christmas parade on December 19 and take pictures of the fabulous float displays. For details, call 2511661 or visit www.tutuban.com.ph


• UP Manila Lantern Parade
Date: December 11, Friday
Venue: UP Manila, Padre Faura Street, Ermita, Manila
A campus tradition where different UP colleges in Manila compete for the best lantern/float display award.



Marikina

• The Spirit of Bethlehem Museum (Belen and Miniature Collection)

Dates: All Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of December, from 8:00AM to 5:00PM
Venue: 2nd Floor of ECOM building, Riverbanks Center, Marikina City
A Christmas-themed museum, visit to a tiny town and art-appreciation tour for the whole family. Tickets are at P75 per head. For more information, visit their Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/museumforthemindandspirit or http://riverbankscenter.com/learning-center/spirit-bethlehem


Paranaque

• The Magic of John Williams

Date: December 12, 2015 at 8PM
Venue: The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort & Casino, Parañaque
The ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra with musical director Gerard Salonga celebrates the music of John Williams, composer of movie scores like ET, Superman, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter and many more. Ticket prices start at P500. For details, call (02) 888-8888.


Pasay

• MBC National Chorale Competition

Date: December 8-12, 2015
Venue: Aliw Theater Sotto St., CCP Complex, Pasay City
Watch and be amazed as choirs from churches, schools, communities, corporations and other special groups all over the Philippines compete



• Pinocchio

Dates:
November 27 & 28, December 5 at 8:00 p.m.
November 29 & December 6 at 3:00 p.m.
Venue: Aliw Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City
An entertaining two-act ballet presentation on the story of Pinocchio as performed by Ballet Manila. Tickets are available at Ticketworld for P500, P1,000 and P1,500


• Peter Pan

Dates: December 4 to 8, 9 to 13, 2015
Venue: Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater), CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
Ballet Philippines presents Peter Pan! See him fly with his friends Wendy, John Michael, the Lost Boys and Tinkerbell, and hold your breath as they all try to defeat Captain Hook. Tickets are available at P400/ P500/ P600/ P1,000/ P1,200 and P1,500


• Prinsipe Munti

Dates: December 9 to 13, 2015
Venue: Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater), CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
Prinsipe Munti is a Filipino adaptation of the book “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It is an enchanting performance for the whole family based on music, storytelling and puppetry. Tickets are at P1,030 and P1,236. Call 8321125 loc 1620 or (02) 8323704 for details.


• Fiesta Folkloriada 2015
Dates: December 20, 2015 (Sunday) at 8PM
Venue: Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater), CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
A presentation of international folk dances by the Bayanihan Philipine National Folk Dance Company. A festival of performances by international dancing delegates. Tickets are at P309 and P515


• Trails to Antartica    
Have a white Christmas by visiting the first penguin facility in the country. Learn more about the coldest place on Earth on the Penguin Quest. See the penguin exhibit and meet Kaya, the first baby penguin born in the Philippines. See what it’s like to slide on ice and get a souvenir photo at the snow village.
For tickets and other attractions visit www.manilaoceanpark.com or call 5677777.


• Hi5 House of Dreams

Dates: December 18 to 21, 2015
Venue: Newport Performing Arts Threater, Resorts World, Pasay City
The Hi5 cast returns to Manila! Join Ainsley, Dayen, Mary, Stevie, and Tanika’s slumber party where they enter the magical world of dreams. For tickets, call 891-9999.


• Snow World
Venue: Star City, Sotto cor. Jalandoni Sts. CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City
Experience a White Christmas and take the biggest snow slide in the country. Entrance fee is P150 (on top of the Star City entrance fee). Visit http://www.starcity.com.ph/ or call 832-3248, 832-3249 for more details.


• Wish Factory Kids Festival
 

Dates: December 11 to 16, 2015
Vanue: all D of the World Trade Center, Pasay City
Make-A-Wish Philippines presents Wish Factoree Kids Wish Festival, an event for the benefit of children with life-threatening conditions. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/MakeAWishPhilippines.


Quezon City

• Disney on Ice Magical Ice Festival

Dates: December 25, 2015 to January 3, 2016
Venue: Smart Araneta Coliseum, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
Elsa, Anna and Olaf join the entire Disney characters on this spectacular show on ice. Tickets are avilable at P175 / P520 / P700 / P1,100 / P1,600 / P1,900 / P2,200.


• Disney Magic at SM North EDSA

Dates: November 6, 2015 to Januay 10, 2016
Venue: SM City North EDSA, Quezon City
Get into the adventure with Mickey and Donald, Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur and Star Wars from . Watch the spectacular fireworks, meet and greet santa and join the magical parade.
For event dates and schedules, call 9293641 or visit http://www.sm-northedsa.com/ for details.