Sorsogon City's premier annual festival is the Pili Festival which also coincides with the City's traditional patronal fiesta, June 28-29, in honor of its patron saints, St. Peter and St. Paul. The Festival showcases the Pili Tree, which is indigenous to Sorsogon, and known hereabouts as The Majestic Tree because of its many industrial, commercial, and nutritional uses from its roots, trunk, branches, leaves, sap and fruit. Appropriately costumed young people dance down the streets of the City during the Festival, demonstrating in dance, the many uses of this remarkable tree.
The Pili Tree is particularly well-known for its nuts, which are much sought after by confectioneries in different parts of the world. It is reputedly better in quality than almonds or macadamia nuts. The pulp that coats the hard shell that, in turn, encases the Pili nut, can also be eaten, as is, by either dipping it in patis, the native fish sauce, or in sugar, after softening it in warm water. It is also served as dips for meat or fish, or even as dressing or icing for pastries or fruit preparations and other desserts. During the Pili street dance, which highlights the weeklong Festival, the costumed dancers move to the rhythmic, hypnotic beat of native percussion instruments.
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