San Carlos City in Negros Occidental turns into a moving garden every November. In fact, the 34th Pintaflores Festival is no exception. The festival runs from Tuesday, November 3 to Thursday, November 5, 2026. In addition, it is the highlight of the city fiesta in honor of its patron saint, St. Charles Borromeo.

The name says it all. Pintaflores comes from pintados (painted ones) and flores (flowers). It was born in 1992. That year, the city blended two fiesta highlights into one celebration. They were the Nabingkalan Tattoo Festival and the Dance of Flowers. Dancers paint their faces, arms, and bodies with flower designs. Then they perform street dances and dance dramas about life, death, and the triumph of good over evil.

Pintaflores Festival 2026 schedule

The schedule below follows the official Calendar of Activities. It was released by the City of San Carlos and the Pintaflores Foundation. It also covers October 20 to November 5, 2026.

Tuesday, November 3

  • Arch Contest — 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
  • Zumba Party — 5:30 PM, in front of the City Hall
  • Festival Queen Competition — 8:00 PM, City Auditorium
  • Busking Nights — 8:00 PM, Pintaflores Trade Fair Area

Wednesday, November 4

  • Concelebrated Mass in honor of San Carlos Borromeo — 10:00 AM, San Carlos Borromeo Cathedral Parish. In fact, it is the feast day of the city’s patron saint
  • GMA Kapuso Fiesta Night — 7:00 PM, in front of the City Hall
  • Busking Nights — 7:00 PM, Pintaflores Trade Fair Area

Thursday, November 5 — the main event

  • Tunog Fiesta Kalye Beats — 9:00 AM–7:00 PM, along the street dancing route
  • Streetdancing Competition — 1:00 PM, starting from the City Health Office — the grand highlight of the festival
  • Festival Ritual Competition — 3:00 PM, City Auditorium. There, the street dancing culminates in the ritual performance. It includes the human flower formation.
  • Hudyaka sa Pintaflores closing festivities, in front of the City Hall. Front acts start at 6:30 PM. Then celebrity band I Belong to the Zoo plays at 8:30 PM. Next, the grand fireworks display is at 9:30 PM. After that, celebrity guest Iyaz performs at 10:00 PM. Finally, party bands and DJs play from 11:00 PM onwards.

November 5 is also Cinco de Noviembre. It is the commemoration of the Negros Revolution. So the final day carries extra meaning for the whole province.

More to catch during the festival

  • Pintaflores Trade Fair Area — the festival’s trade fair grounds also host the busking nights and other evening events
  • Body Painting Competition — November 2, 8:00 PM, City Auditorium. Also, it is a showcase of the floral body art at the heart of the festival.
  • Pinta Bata — the children’s street dancing and ritual competition, a Pintaflores tradition since 1996

Getting there and what to know

San Carlos City sits on the northeastern coast of Negros Occidental. It is about three and a half hours by land from Bacolod City. Festival venues include the City Auditorium and the City Hall Grounds. They also include the Pintaflores Trade Fair Area, Park Marina, and the San Carlos Borromeo Cathedral Parish.

If you are coming for the street dancing, arrive early on November 5. Then head to the city proper. There, the contingents perform along the streets before the ritual competition at the City Auditorium.

One honest note: the times and venues above come from the official Calendar of Activities. It was released by the City of San Carlos and the Pintaflores Foundation. Check the official Pintaflores Festival Facebook page before you go, in case of last-minute changes. For example, the October 31 comedy show was pushed to 9:00 PM because of rain.