| Dinagyang Festival | |
|---|---|
 A performer dressed as an Ati warrior during the Ati Tribes Competition | |
| Official name | Iloilo Dinagyang Festival |
| Also called | Dinagyang |
| Observed by | Iloilo City |
| Type | Religious / Cultural |
| Significance | In honor of theHoly Child, the traditions and history of theAti people, and the 'Barter of Panay' |
| Celebrations | Parades, street dancing, fluvial and street processions, solemn masses, parties |
| Date | Fourth Sunday in January |
| 2025 date | January 26 (2025-01-26) |
| 2026 date | January 25 (2026-01-25) |
| 2027 date | January 24 (2027-01-24) |
| 2028 date | January 23 (2028-01-23) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 1968; 58 years ago (1968) |
| Related to | Feast of Santo Niño,Sinulog,Ati-Atihan,Maragtas |
TheDinagyang Festival is a religious andcultural festival held annually on the fourth Sunday of January inIloilo City,Philippines, in honor ofSanto Niño, theHoly Child, and to commemorate the historic pact between theMalay settlers and the indigenousAti people ofPanay. It is considered one of the largest festivals in the Philippines, attracting 1 to 2 million people during the weekend celebration.[1][2][3][4]
The festival is renowned for its Ati Tribes Competition, wheretribu ortribal performers in "Ati warrior" costumes with large feathered headdresses present choreographed formations, rhythmic chanting, and drum performances depicting the history of Panay. Other highlights include theKasadyahan Festival, which showcases cultural festivals from various parts ofWestern Visayas, and ILOmination, a night parade with tribal performers in illuminated costumes. The main weekend festivities also include religious processions and street parties.
As the most awarded festival in the country, it has been named the best tourism event by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines (ATOP) for several years. It is also sometimes referred to as the 'Queen of All Philippine Festivals.'[5]
The wordDinágyang came from aHiligaynon word extrapolated fromdágyang, meaning "merrymaking."[6] The term was coined by the late broadcaster Pacifico Sudario in 1977 to name the festival. Prior to that, the festival was known as theIloilo Ati-atihan.
The festival celebrates theSanto Niño, theHoly Child (orInfant Jesus), and marks its arrival in Iloilo, while also commemorating the pact between theDatus and the indigenousAti people following the arrival of theMalay settlers, the legendary barter ofPanay Island from the natives, and theMaragtas story, which, though significant in local tradition, remains debated as either fact or myth.
Dinagyang, initially known asIloilo Ati-Atihan, began afterRev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, the first Filipino Rector of the Augustinian Community and Parish Priest of theSan Jose Parish introduced the devotion toSanto Niño in November 1967 after observing theAti-Atihan Festival in the province ofAklan. On 1968, a replica of the original image of theSanto Niño de Cebu was brought to Iloilo by Fr. Sulpicio Enderez.
The people of Iloilo welcomed the image, along with followers fromCebu, upon its arrival atMandurriao Airport.
"as a gift to the Parish of San Jose. The faithful, led by members of Confradia del Santo Niño de Cebu, Iloilo Chapter, worked to give the image a fitting reception starting at the Iloilo Airport and parading down the streets of Iloilo."[7]
In the beginning, the observance of the feast was confined to the parish. TheConfradia patterned the celebration on the Ati-Atihan ofIbajay, Aklan, where natives dance in the streets, their bodies covered with soot and ashes, to simulate theAtis dancing to celebrate the sale ofPanay. It was these tribal groups who were the prototype of the present festival.[8]
In 1977, theMarcos government ordered the various regions of the Philippines to come up with festivals or celebrations that could boost tourism and development. The City of Iloilo readily identified theIloilo Ati-Atihan as its project. At the same time, the local parish could no longer handle the growing challenges of the festival.[9] The late Ilonggo broadcaster and writer Pacifico Sumagpao Sudario coined the term "Dinagyang" in 1977 to differentiate it from Aklan's Ati-Atihan.[10] In that particular year, the Dinagyang organizers and by the Regional Association of National Government Executives invited an actual Ati tribe for the first time from the mountains ofBarotac Viejo, and showcase their native dances during the event.
Since 1978, the Dinagyang Festival has grown into a significant religious and cultural event. The festival has now diversified to include other cultural presentations,sports competitions,food festivals, abeauty pageant,car shows,music festivals, and various side events. The Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) currently manages and organizes the festival. They took over the responsibility from the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI) in 2019 and also manage other major festivals in Iloilo, including theParaw Regatta andKasadyahan.[11]
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The Dinagyang season officially begins during thePamukaw (awakening), held annually in December, one month prior to the main celebration in January. This event signifies the official start of the festival.[12]
TheOpening Salvo of Dinagyang, which takes place annually on the second Friday of January, serves as a proclamation of the official beginning of the highlight week or the main celebration of the festival.[13][14] It is also a preliminary to the three major events, which are held annually every fourth weekend of January: the Ati Tribes Competition (held on a Sunday), the Kasadyahan Festival (held on a Saturday), and the ILOmination and Floats Parade of Lights (held on a Friday).
Other events that are highly celebrated during the highlight week of the festival areSadsad (merrymaking), Food and Music Festivals, Fluvial and Motorcade Parades, andMiss Iloilo.
The Kasadyahan Festival is one of the most anticipated events during the Dinagyang celebration. It is a competition among cultural festivals from different places in theWestern Visayas region.
As an added attraction to the Ati Tribes competition, the Kasadyahan was introduced to the Dinagyang Festival in the 1980s to showcase the talents of students and the rich cultural heritage ofIloilo province.[15] In its early years, schools from various towns and cities in the province participated in the competition. Over time, it evolved into a regional event, welcoming entries from other provinces in the Western Visayas region and highlighting the region’s diverse cultural and historical heritage.
In Dinagyang 2020, the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) removed the Kasadyahan from the Dinagyang Festival. It was replaced by merry-making or thesadsad, a central feature of the Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan. Plans were made to celebrate Kasadyahan in a separate month or possibly incorporate it into Iloilo City’s Charter Day festivities. However, these plans were canceled due to the pandemic.[16]
The Kasadyahan Festival returned to the Dinagyang celebration in 2023, held on the Saturday before the main highlights of the Mardi Gras celebration the following day. In 2024, the Iloilo provincial government took over the management of the festival from the city government, rebranding it asKasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan. The new iteration showcased various town festivals from Iloilo province competing for the title.[17]
The ILOmination is an additional Dinagyang tribes competition where warriors wear colorfully lit costumes. First added in 2023, it showcases seven competing tribes representing theseven districts of Iloilo City, namely theCity Proper,Arevalo,Jaro,La Paz,Lapuz,Mandurriao, andMolo.[18] It is a parade-type street dance competition that allows spectators to witness every performance from the tribes.[19] In 2025, it was rebranded as the ILOmination Philippine Light Festival, showcasing various light festivals from across the Philippines.[20]
The Floats Parade of Lights is also featured during the event, where gigantic and colorful floats of the sponsors for the Dinagyang Festival are going by the parade. It was first added in the 2018 edition during the 50th anniversary of the Dinagyang Festival.[21]
The ILOmination and Parade of Lights primarily take place in the business districts ofMandurriao, moving throughAtria Park District,SM City Iloilo, andIloilo Business Park.
The main highlight of the Dinagyang Festival is the Ati Tribes Competition, also known as the Dinagyang Tribes Competition. The event features "Ati warrior" dancers in elaborate costumes, typically including vibrant headdresses adorned with colorful fabrics, feathers, beads, and other embellishments. The performers dance in choreographed formations, intricate patterns, and chant in unison, all synchronized to the beats of loud drums and improvised percussion instruments created by each tribe (locally calledtribu).
In the festival's early years, many tribes were formed and organized bybarangays or communities around Iloilo City. However, as Dinagyang evolved and the competition gained worldwide fame and recognition, schools began organizing tribes. These school-based tribes introduced dynamic new dance patterns, formations, and choreography. To fund their participation, they solicited sponsorships from private companies to cover expenses.[22]
No actualAti people are involved in the competition, nor do they directly benefit from it. One of the requirements for participants is to paint their skin black and use indigenous-inspired materials for their costumes. All dances are performed to the rhythm of drum music. While many tribes are organized by local high schools, some tribes in recent years have come from distant provinces, includingBatanes in Luzon andCotabato in Mindanao.
The tribes receive subsidies from the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) and the Iloilo City government, with private sponsors providing additional support. Tribes that perform exceptionally well often attract more sponsorships.[23] The current Ati population in Iloilo does not actively participate in the competition or benefit from it. However, in recent years, the original Ati people from the hinterlands of Panay, particularly from the mountains ofBarotac Nuevo andAnilao, have been invited to participate non-competitively. This aims to recognize their cultural significance and highlight their role as the symbolic inspiration for the festival.[24]
The Ati Tribes Competition, along with the Kasadyahan Festival, is primarily held in thedowntown area, with multiple stages set up on different streets, with theIloilo Freedom Grandstand as the main stage. For the 2026 edition, theIloilo Sports Complex was added as one of the main venues for the first time since 2012.[25][26]
The grand champion of the Ati Tribes Competition receives a trophy and a cash prize,[27] and also gets a chance to perform at the year’sPhilippine Independence Day rites inNew York City.[28] They will also represent Dinagyang in the annualAliwan Fiesta held in theStar City Complex inPasay, Metro Manila, where they will compete in the dance competition category against other winning groups from festivals across the country.[29]
As of Dinagyang 2026, the reigning grand champion is Tribu Salognon of Jaro National High School.
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Dinagyang is known for its innovations, awards, and its catchphrase, "Hala Bira, Iloilo! Viva Señor Santo Niño!"Hala bira is a Hiligaynon phrase meaning "dispense all means" and is widely used byIlonggos to express enthusiastic participation in the festival. The phrase is frequently shouted during the celebration, popularized by the festival theme song, "Hala Bira, Iloilo!", which is played on every street throughout the city. The song, composed in the early 2000s by Rommel Salvador N. Chiu and award-winning musician and lyricist Dante M. Beriong, is recognized as one of the first festival theme songs in the Philippines.[30]
Dinagyang festival has brought a lot of innovations throughout the years. These innovations have influenced the way other festivals in the country are run. Among these are the following:
Dinagyang is the most awarded festival in the Philippines. It has been recognized as the country's best tourism event by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines (ATOP) for three consecutive years in 2006, 2007, and 2008. In 2020, it received another ATOP's Best Tourism Event Award (as Contemporary/Non-Traditional Expression Category).[35] Its Dinagyang Digital edition in 2021 has also won as the Grand Winner of ATOP's Pearl Awards and Best Tourism Practice during theCOVID-19 pandemic, which was the only award given by ATOP during that year. In 2022, it was declared as the grand winner of the Best Cultural Festival Award-City category.[36] In the 2024 Philippine LEAF Awards, Dinagyang has been awarded as the Best Festival in the Visayas.[37] Dinagyang was also the first ever Philippine recipient of the Asia-Pacific Folklore Festival award by theInternational Festivals and Events Association (IFEA). In 2025, it was awarded Best Overall Entertainment Program at the 2025 Pinnacle Awards Asia and Best Dynamic Festival (Dancing) at the Asia Festival Awards. It remains the only awardee from the Philippines for two consecutive years at the IFEA.[38]
It is one of few festivals in the world to get the support of theUnited Nations for the promotion of theMillennium Development Goals, and cited by theAsian Development Bank as Best Practice on government, private sector & NGO cooperatives.[39]
Dinagyang also holds the record for the most wins inAliwan Fiesta, an annual "festival of festivals" competition showcasing diverse cultural festivals from across the Philippines.[40] It bagged the titles in 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2023 and 2024.[41]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)The 55-year-old Hala Bira shouting Ilonggo revelry introduced the concept of carousel productions and simultaneous performances by competing tribes in different judging areas.
Mobile risers, pioneered by the legendary Tribu Bola-Bola of Iloilo National High School in 1994, have added depth and improved the choreography of dance movements.
Dinagyang pipes were popularized by Tribu Ilonganon in 2005. Made of PVC, they are hit with rubber paddles.
Media related toDinagyang Festival at Wikimedia CommonsLa Muy Leal y Noble Ciudad de Iloílo | ||
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