Bocaue, Bulacan where enormous amount of fire crackers are manufactured also the haven of fireworks enthusiast where most of the stocks are sold to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

Every 1^st week of July they celebrate a fiesta that was nurtured way back 200 years ago it said to be a legend that has been pass through generations the Pagoda Festival Bocaue River Festival, Bocaue Pagoda Festival, and the Pista ng Mapagpalang Krus sa Wawa.

According to locals the forefathers of Bocaue extracted the Holy Cross of Wawa from the river 200 years ago, and the celebration is in commemoration of this event. A well-known story tells of a woman who was saved from drowning by a floating cross which is presumed to be the Holy Cross of Wawa.

What to do:

Ø      Witness how locals built there state of the art bancas where they will situate the holy cross. Dressed with beautiful trimmings spearheaded by locals.

Ø      Nine day novena is held and hundreds of people attend to commemorate how elders retrieve the holy cross from the river.

Ø      Watch how hundreds of devotees accompany the holy cross down the trench of Bocaue River where the fluvial parade is the main attraction of the fiesta. Moreover, those who cannot find space on the crowded pagoda simply swim alongside.  

1993 the tradition was stop to progress because of a tragic accident happened. Today the Bocaue Pagoda Festival continues part of it to remember the dead. This tradition will continue as usual with better order and safety. But for sure the Bocaue river festival will live on for a long long time.

Trivia: During Pagoda Tragedy a kid sacrificed himself to save four children from drowning to the river his name is Sajid Bulig. Bulig's act is chronicled in the social studies textbook Ang Lahing Pilipino sa Nagbabagong Panahon authored by Lazelle Peligno and Ela Rose Sablaon. The book was published in February 2007 and is used in public and private schools.