| 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 the Holy Child, the traditions and history of the Ati people, and the 'Barter of Panay' |
| Celebrations | Parades, street dancing, fluvial and street processions, solemn masses, parties |
| Date | Fourth Sunday in January |
| 2024 date | January 28 |
| 2025 date | January 26 |
| 2026 date | January 25 |
| 2027 date | January 24 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 1968 |
| Related to | Feast of Santo Niño, Sinulog, Ati-Atihan, Maragtas |
The Dinagyang Festival is a religious and cultural festival held annually on the fourth Sunday of January in Iloilo City, Philippines, in honor of Santo Niño, the Holy Child, and to commemorate the historic pact between the Malay settlers and the indigenous Ati people of Panay. It is considered one of the largest and grandest festivals in the Philippines, attracting hundreds of thousands to over a million people during its celebration.[1][2]
The festival is renowned for its Ati Tribes Competition, where various tribu or tribal performers, dressed in "Ati warrior" costumes with large feathered headdresses, showcase traditional choreographed formations, patterns, and rhythmic chanting. The performances are accompanied by the beat of loud drums and improvised percussion instruments, narrating different iterations of the history of Panay. Another major highlight is the Kasadyahan Festival, where different cultural festivals from various places in Western Visayas come together to compete.
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.'[3]
- ^ Sornito, Ime (January 30, 2019). "Dinagyang 2019 'attracted most number of foreign tourists'". Panay News. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ Jr, Nestor P. Burgos (January 22, 2012). "1.2M tourists join Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo, say local execs". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ "Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City - TAYO.ph - Life Portal of the Philippines PH". tayo.ph. Retrieved April 21, 2022.