The Philippines is a country with diverse cultures and traditions, and one of the most spectacular and world-class festivals that showcases its beauty is the Dinagyang Festival. The Dinagyang Festival is an annual religious and cultural festival that takes place every fourth Sunday of January in Iloilo City, the capital of the province of Iloilo. The festival honors the Santo Niño, or the Holy Child Jesus, and commemorates the arrival of the Malay settlers and the legendary barter of Panay Island from the natives called Ati.

The word “Dinagyang” comes from a Hiligaynon word extrapolated from dágyang, meaning “merrymaking”. The festival was started in 1967 by Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, who introduced the devotion to Santo Niño in Iloilo City after observing the Ati-Atihan Festival in Aklan. In 1968, a replica of the original image of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought to Iloilo City as a gift to the San Jose Parish. 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.

The festival was originally confined to the parish, but later expanded to include the whole city. The festival also evolved from a simple imitation of the Ati-Atihan Festival to a more elaborate and creative competition among different tribes or groups representing various barangays or districts of Iloilo City. The tribes perform dances and chants in honor of Santo Niño, while wearing colorful costumes and props inspired by the Ati culture. The tribes also display their artistic skills and craftsmanship by decorating their houses and streets with kiping, a leaf-shaped wafer made of rice flour and dyed with food coloring.

The highlight of the festival is the grand street parade that features floats, higantes (giant papier-mache figures), carabaos (water buffaloes), beauties, and farmers. The parade also includes a procession of the image of Santo Niño and his wife Santa Maria de la Cabeza, who are accompanied by devotees dressed in colorful costumeshttps://philippines.travel/events/dinagyang-festival. The parade attracts thousands of spectators who marvel at the colorful and elaborate designs of the floats and the lively performances of the dancers.

The Dinagyang Festival is not only a feast for the eyes, but also for the taste buds. Visitors can enjoy various delicacies that are unique to Iloilo City, such as pansit habhab (noodles eaten without utensils), Lucban longganisa (Filipino-style sausages), hardinera (meatloaf), broas (ladyfingers), tikoy (sticky rice cake), and espasol (rice cake rolled in coconut flakes). They can also buy souvenirs made from wood, silver, beads, or kiping.

The Dinagyang Festival is not only a celebration of nature’s bounty, but also a celebration of faith and culture. It is a way of preserving and promoting the traditions and values of Iloilo City and its people. It is also a way of expressing gratitude and devotion to Santo Niño, who is believed to be the source of blessings and miracles. The festival draws tourists from all over the world who want to experience the spectacle and vibrancy of this remarkable event.