Iloilo City, Philippines – The capital of Iloilo Province, Iloilo City has increasingly become a popular destination for both local and foreign tourists because of its many historical and beautiful spots and delicious local cuisine—which even earned it the distinction of being a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy, the first city in the Philippines to do so. Anytime is a good time to visit Iloilo, which is even a good jump-off point for trips to other nearby tourist destinations in Western Visayas, like Guimaras, Roxas City, Bacolod, and even Boracay.
Yet if there’s one occasion to visit Iloilo City that will guarantee an experience like no other, it’s when they celebrate the Dinagyang Festival every January.
For most Ilonggos, January is more than just a fresh start to yet another year. While the New Year festivities are fizzling out, there’s another sound emerging in the city, growing louder by each passing day, and making the streets pulsate in enthusiastic anticipation for the city’s biggest festival that’s about to take place.
What is Dinagyang?
Photo Credit: Iloilo Dinagyang Festival, the official Facebook page of Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI)
Held annually and culminating every fourth weekend of January, which falls on January 27-28 this year, the Dinagyang Festival is both a religious and cultural celebration that honors Ilonggos’ devotion to the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus) and pays tribute to the arrival of Malay settlers in Panay Island.
It was Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, the parish priest of San Jose Parish in Iloilo City, who first introduced the devotion to Santo Niño to the Ilonggo people after attending Aklan’s Ati-Atihan Festival in 1967. The first Dinagyang Festival dates back to 1968, when a replica of the original Santo Niño de Cebu image was brought to Iloilo as a gift to the parish from Fr. Sulpicio Enderez of Cebu. Ilonggos gave the image a fitting welcome by parading down the streets of Iloilo.
While festivities were initially confined to the parish (pictured above) and drew inspiration from Cebu’s Sinulog and Aklan’s Ati-Atihan, where natives cover their bodies in soot and wear colorful tribal outfits and headgear as they dance through the streets, Dinagyang eventually developed its own unique identity. From a parish event, it became a full-blown festival that attracts hundreds of thousands to over a million devotees and attendees, not only from Iloilo and around the Philippines, but also tourists from around the world. It is also among the most awarded festivals in the Philippines, making it one of the biggest must-experience events in the country.
Photo Credit: Iloilo City Government Facebook Page
Dinagyang Events
The term “Dinagyang” comes from the Hiligaynon word “dagyang,” which means “merrymaking.” If there’s one thing about Ilonggos, it’s that they definitely know how to live up to that.
Through meticulous planning and coordination with different sectors of society, the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) has prepared a series of exciting events that show Iloilo City’s rich and vibrant culture, with this year’s celebration centered around the theme “Pagdayaw kay Senor Sto. Niño, Padayaw sang mga Ilonggo!” (“Praise to Señor Sto. Niño, dance of the Ilonggos!”)
The theme proudly celebrates both the deep religious devotion of Ilonggos and their renowned culture that showcases what the city is most known for: Ilonggo talent, delicious food, inspiring and scenic spots, and the people’s warm hospitality. By attending the Dinagyang Festival, you’re not only taking part in the festival itself, you also get to experience first-hand Ilonggo culture, in which people talk in a malambing way (kindly or tenderly) and feed you various great food with the warmest of smiles.
Photo Credit: Iloilo City Government Facebook Page
If you’re experiencing Dinagyang for the first time, here are the events you wouldn’t want to miss, so plan your Iloilo trip around these:
Jan. 25 – 28, 2024: Dinagyang Food Festival at the Downtown Area (located along General Luna, Iznart, Ledesma, Muelle Loney, and Quezon Streets, as well as Calle Real, now known as J.M. Basa Street)—this is something you shouldn’t miss!
Jan. 26, Friday:
1PM – Fluvial & Solemn Foot Procession along the Iloilo River, facing the Downtown Area
6PM – ILOmination Street Dance Competition (where seven Dinagyang tribes wear colorfully lit costumes while parading in a street dance competition) and Floats Parade of Lights (a parade of gigantic colorful floats) along Ayala Land’s Atria Park District, SM City Iloilo, and Megaworld’s Iloilo Business Park
Jan. 27, Saturday:
8AM – Sadsad sa Calle Real (J.M. Basa Street), with five competing tribes parading down this historic street at the Downtown Area
130PM – Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahan, a cultural competition among festivals from different locales around the province, at the Downtown Area
7PM – Grand Religious Sadsad (Mardi Gras Parade) at San Jose Placer Parish along Calasanz St., Iloilo City Proper
Jan. 28, Sunday:
6AM – Concelebrated High Mass at San Jose Placer Parish
8AM – Dinagyang Tribes Competition at Downtown Area, where eight Dinagyang Tribes (made of representatives from Department of Education Secondary Schools dressed as “warrior” dancers) will also go through the same streets as the Food Festival, as they perform in a street dance competition to loud drum beats and other percussion instruments, with stages located at 1) Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, 2) Iloilo Provincial Capitol, 3) Mabini/Delgado Streets, and 4) Quezon/Ledesma Streets. The Awarding Ceremony will take place at 7PM that night.
Photo Credit: Iloilo City Government Facebook Page
If you happen to be in Iloilo starting today, Jan. 12, you may want to check out the Dinagyang Opening Salvo at 3PM at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, located along Muelle Loney Street in Iloilo City Proper.
There will also be an Iloilo Arts & Music Festival on Jan. 20-21 at Megaworld’s Iloilo Business Park.
Last year, the ILOmination Street Dance Competition, Floats Parade of Lights, and fireworks display on Jan. 21, 2023 (Saturday) drew the biggest crowd with over 100,000 attendees, followed by the Dinagyang Tribes Competition on Jan. 22, 2023 (Sunday), according to the IFFI, with estimated data from Iloilo City Police Office.
Here’s the full list of Dinagyang Festival 2024 major events:
Source: Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Facebook Page
How to get the best Dinagyang experience
One thing you’d love about Iloilo City is how easy it is to get around. It’s a fairly walkable city, even more so during the festival because there are a whole lot of interesting sights and shops everywhere. Plus, the energy of the people you’ll meet will be a unique experience in itself!
To make the most of your Dinagyang experience, make sure you’ve got all things covered with these tips:
1. Book your hotel first. During Dinagyang season, hotels all over the city tend to get packed with locals from outside Iloilo City and tourists from around the Philippines and abroad. There are several hotels situated near event venues, so while it’s best to check those first, expect them to be the ones to get sold out first, too. Among the hotels you might want to check out are Richmonde Hotel Iloilo and Courtyard by Marriott in Iloilo Business Park, Seda Atria at Atria Park District, and Citadines Amigo Iloilo within Iloilo City Proper, close to all the festivities.
If you want a more homey and local experience, Iloilo City also has several condominium buildings with units that are available for short-term stays via Airbnb.
2. Plan your itinerary based on events you want to attend. With the schedule above as your reference, determine which events you’d like to prioritize, then pull up trusty Google Maps to check which other attractions are nearby. The Downtown Area is a great place to explore, especially if you’re after a truly Ilonggo experience.
3. Dress comfortably. Make sure you’re dressed for a whole lot of walking and dancing while exploring the streets of Iloilo City! Also remember that you’re sure to do a lot of eating, as there will be a lot of must-try food everywhere!
4. Explore more of the city. There’s so much to experience in Iloilo City besides the Dinagyang Festival: There are restaurants that have become institutions among the locals and have garnered great reviews from visitors. Iloilo City and its neighboring towns also have a lot of must-visit historical sites. It also has a booming specialty coffee scene, so don’t shy away from asking the locals for recommendations. The Ilonggo people are known to have high standards when it comes to food and coffee, so their suggestions really do hold weight.
5. Consider doing some side-trips to nearby beaches. Panay Island, which Iloilo is part of, boasts of some of the country’s best beaches (including Boracay) and some are just a short drive away from Iloilo City. If you have an extra day or two to wind down and be with nature, you may want to explore beach destinations like Islas de Gigantes in Carles (you may want to stay at Solana Beach and Nature Resort) and Marbuena Island Resort in Ajuy. (Editor’s note: Watch for KUBO’s Iloilo travel and food guides, coming soon!)
However you’d like to enjoy the Dinagyang Festival, whether it’s by watching the tribes perform, having a gastronomic experience, mingling with friendly Ilonggos, or all of the above, you’re sure to bring back home warm memories that will inspire you to keep coming back to Iloilo on your next PH vacation.
