Dinagyang Festival
Dinagyang is a festival of thanksgiving in honor of the Santo Nino. This is usually held every fourth Sunday of January in Iloilo City.
Every Ilonggo looks forward to this yearly celebration. Tribe participants wake up very early in the morning, paint themselves charcoal black and wear native yet colorful costumes and headresses. Highways are closed to "street dancing" which goes on all day despite the heat of the sun. It's such a merry making festival really. Foreigners flock the city to experience this one of a kind celebration so rich in Filipino culture and history.
After the winners have been proclaimed in the evening by the mayor at the city's grandstand, parties continue all night, either in the streets or to the new bars at Diversion Road. The party never stops. The next day, the city is literally asleep. (Everyone's always wasted the night before)
I'd highly recommend that you join the festival when youre in the country in January. Iloilo is very accessible through plane from any major city in the country. And besides it's just a 5hour bus ride away from Boracay Island too! :)
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