Map out your weekend with activities that will recharge your creative spirit

The hectic holiday buzz will soon be upon us, but don’t let the stress of navigating the Christmas rush keep you from indulging your creative spirit. Thanks to the various community-minded collectives around the metro, there is always a fun and enriching activity for folks to get into, no matter where they find themselves stuck in the city. Map out your weekends with our list of creative events and ride out the urban rush with flair.

Hola, Escolta!

What: A block party in Manila’s historic downtown district

Where: Escolta Street

When: November 22 and 29

In its tradition of celebrating culture and community, Hola, Escolta! returns for its third edition with an even bigger street party that is chock-full of activities catering to a wide array of creative interests. Organized by the management of the iconic First United Building along Escolta Street, Hola, Escolta! is proud to be supported by the City of Manila, the Department of Tourism, Culture, and Arts of Manila, and the Escolta Commercial Association, Inc. 

As part of its grander revelry, Hola, Escolta! will have multiple attractions happening simultaneously. Guests are welcome to choose which ones to attend. Even better, they can participate in all of them across the two Saturdays dedicated to this inclusive community party.

Follow Hola, Escolta! on Instagram and be updated on their activities.  

Hola, Ferryganza!

What: A Pasig River cruise from Poblacion to Escolta

For better or worse, the Pasig River is Metro Manila’s ever-enduring and indispensable artery, a quiet witness and a reassuring constant to the myriad transformations that the metropolis continues to go through. Ply its length and take in the sights it offers with Hola, Ferryganza!, armed with a Pasig River map designed by Renacimiento Manila. Trace the river’s many ferry stops and spot the historic churches and forgotten ancestral homes dotting the city. Organized by Nilad Community, Hola, Ferryganza! aims to remind people that communities aren’t built from scratch but from the connections that remain whenever society expands, contracts, and shifts its socio-cultural shape. 

Ticket price per passenger is Php1,300. Register for a seat through this link.

Grids & Horizons

What: A mini art market of lines, letters, and landscapes 

Where: 5F First United Building

Calling all architecture and interior design fans: Here’s a pop-up market that celebrates the lines, forms, and perspectives that shape the urban landscape. Co-organized by Sticker Con MNL, Grids & Horizons is “an ode to structure and stillness and to the balance between order and imagination, rhythm and rest, design and discovery.” Marvel at the geometry and symmetry of the structures that frame the city views in each distinct district, as interpreted by artists on postcards, posters, and other printed material. Exalt Escolta's colorful and resilient soul and map out Manila’s ever-evolving cultural landscape, image by image. 

Feria de Escolta 

What: An urban mini-perya for kids at heart

Where: 3F First United Building

Relive your childhood days of heading en masse to the neighborhood perya to play low-risk, high-thrill challenges with Feria de Escolta. Organized by Project Lemons, the team behind the creative space Lemon Drop, the fair will take over the First United Building’s third floor to offer a variety of mini-games. Try your luck at them for a chance to bring home fun prizes, and support independent creatives by shopping for locally made artworks and tchotchkes. Join Feria de Escolta’s duck hunting around the district, too, and be right at the heart of Escolta’s vibrant pulse. 

Super Queer Sari-Sari 

What: A marketplace for and by LGBTQIA+ creatives

Where: HUB: Make Lab, GF First United Building

As a popular incubator space for independent creatives and artistic enterprises that has played a major role in Escolta’s cultural revival, HUB: Make Lab has its own attraction at Hola, Escolta!. Organized in collaboration with Salad Day and ‘90s Kabaklaan, Super Queer Sari-Sari promises to gather a colorful mix of guest “vendor benders” into its marketplace to offer shoppers a diverse and inclusive array of products that you might not find anywhere else. 

Paskomiket: The Filipino Komik Art Market 2025

What: A holiday convention for Filipino komiks enthusiasts

When: November 22 - 23

Where: SM Megamall Megatrade Hall 2

Comic book creation is serious business for Filipino artists, but reveling in the art form is always a festive event. Experience this for yourself at Paskomiket 2025. Join in on this two-day event and enjoy holiday-themed activities and interactive booths that let you discover the best comic book works produced by both novice and veteran artists. Find special releases and limited-edition collectibles, too, while meeting fellow komiks fans. Whether you’re a new fan or an old-time Komiket attendee, Paskomiket promises to be a welcoming space for sharing one’s passion for komiks in true Pinoy holiday style.

Visit Komiket’s Facebook page for more details.

Mga Munting Alaala, Presented 

What: A photography exhibit

Where: Tarzeer Pictures, 2288 Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati, 

When: Runs until December 20

For his first solo exhibition, photographer Eric Bico mines his personal repository of visual images that he has found and created over the years. The pictures weave “a delicate trail of interactions” that serves as Bico’s personal reminder on why he captures images in the first place: With the original intention of using the medium as a tool for self-expression, he suddenly found himself using photography as a means to understand others and himself, thus broadening his perspectives in an unexpected yet welcome manner: “Sa paglilitrato, nahanap ko ang unti-unting pag-hilom (By taking pictures, I found myself healing bit by bit).” 

Follow Tarzeer Pictures on Instagram and be updated on their upcoming shows.

Gregoria Lakambini: A Pinay Pop Musical

What: A musical about a Filipina icon

Where: Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex 

When: Runs until December 14

Music can truly bridge and connect different worlds. Tanghalang Pilipino’s original production, Gregoria Lakambini, the first P-pop historical musical, is a testament to that as part of the national performing arts company’s 39th season offering. A bold and contemporary retelling of the life of Gregoria de Jesus, Gregoria Lakambini is the perfect intersection for history enthusiasts, feminists, and P-pop fans. It features music by Flip Music Production hitmaker Nica Del Rosario (her credits include Sarah Geronimo’s “Tala” and Bini’s “Karera” and “Huwag Muna Tayong Umuwi”) and musical theater composer and musical director Matthew Chang, as well as dance routines by Bini choreographer Jan Matthew Almodovar. Directed by Delphine Buencamino and starring Marynor Madamesila in the titular role, the musical aims to introduce a major figure in Philippine history to a broader audience using a captivating and resonant manner that combines different art genres.

For tickets, visit Tanghalang Pilipino’s Instagram page and click the link in bio. 

Gantsilyo Fest 2025

What: A crochet extravaganza

Where: Robinsons Galleria

When: November 29

It’s that time of the year again for Crochet Lovers in the Philippines’ annual meet and greet, and they’re inviting everyone to join in on the knitting fun. Crocheting is no longer just a craft for the oldies, especially with its recent resurgence among the younger generations, so try your hand at being part of a tight-knit (pun intended) community. Explore what creations you can come up with through this classic handicraft at Gantsilyo Fest. Showcase your take on what a knit Modern Filipiniana piece is while enjoying fun activities and games; you might even win giveaways. Whether a complete novice or a seasoned crocheter, everyone is welcome to celebrate this festival that’s all about yarn, colors, and togetherness.

Visit Crochet Lovers in the Philippines’ Facebook page for more details.

***

Banner image courtesy of HUB: Make Lab.

Want to be updated on the latest creative happenings? Check out CREATEPhilippines’ calendar of events. And if you have events that you’d like to promote with the help of CREATEPhilippines, get in touch with us. Click this link and share with us the details.