Dinagyang Festival 2011

Dinagyang is the mother of all festivals in Iloilo.It has two sides on is religious and other is secular side.The colorful fluvial parade and the mass in San Jose Parish Church comprises the religious aspect.The secular side is compose of Kasadyahan and Ati-ati tribe Contest.

Kasadyahan is joined in by various schools in the province and in the city of Iloilo.The highlight of the Festival is the Ati-ati tribe contest.The local tribes display their build dance steps and choreography and multi-colored costumes made from indigenous materials.

Dinagyang has many activities aside from kasadyahan and ati-ati tribe contest you can also witness the Fireworks Display,Miss Dinagyang and many more.

Come and enjoy and let us again listen rythmic beats of drums and witness the colorful and unique performance of every tribes both in kasadyahan and in ati-ati tribe contest.

Hala Bira Iloilo! Viva Señior Sto. Niño!

Here is the schedule of Dinagyang 2011.

October 14, 2010, Friday

2:00 P.M. LOCAL LAUNCH Iloilo Dinagyang Festival 2011 Freedom GrandstandDecember 16, 2010, Friday

2:00 P.M. PAMUKAW Assembly Area: Promenade passing Iznart, J.M. Basa to Freedom Grandstand

January 4, 2011, Tuesday

2:00 P.M. Model Ati Dinagyang Warrior 2011 Presentation

January 7, 2011, Friday

2:00 P.M. Model Ati Dinagyang Warrior 2011 Talent Competition

January 9, 2011, Sunday

1:00 P.M. Model Ati Dinagyang Warrior 2011 Finals

January 14, 2011, Friday

2:30 P.M. Mass for Opening Salvo of Tribe Dancers San Jose Parish Church

3:00 PM OPENING SALVO Judging Area

January 14-16, 2010

Iloilo Dinagyang Golf Competition 2011 Sta. Barbara Golf Club

January 15, 2011, Saturday

7:00:00 AM SQUEAK Parade Route

January 16-23, 2011

Dinagyang Photo Exhibit

January 16, 2011, Sunday

10:00AM – 3:00 PM DRESSING UP DAGOY

January 19-23, 2011

2:00 P.M.-12 MN Iloilo Hotel Resort & Restaurant Association (IHRRA) Food Festival Delgado St., Iloilo City

January 21, 2011, Friday

8:00:00 AM TAMBOR TRUMPA MARTSA MUSIKA Freedom Grandstand

7:00 PM LUCES IN THE SKY Part I

January 22, 2011, Saturday

7:00:00 AM Mass for Kasadyahan San Jose Parish Church

8:00 A.M. 2011 KASADYAHAN Competition Freedom Grandstand and other stages

2:00PM SPONSORS MARDI GRAS Judging Area #4 to Freedom Grandstand

7:00 PM LUCES IN THE SKY Part II

7:00 PM Religious Sad-sad to Sr. Sto. Niño San Jose Parish Church

January 23, 2010, Sunday

6:30 A.M. Concelebrated high mass for devotees, Tribes, Gov’t. Officials, LOMAS in attendance San Jose Parish Church

8:00 A.M. 2011 Dinagyang Ati CONTEST Freedom Grandstand and other stages

7:00 P.M. Awarding Ceremonies Freedom Grandstand

January 24, 2011, Monday

5:30 P.M. Thanksgiving Mass with all members of 2010 Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Working Committees

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Dinagyang Festival 2011

The Dinagyang Festival 2011 is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held on January 21-23 2011, right after the Sinulog In Cebu and the Ati-Atihan in Aklan. It is held both to honor the Santo Niño and to celebrate the arrival on Panay of Malay settlers and the subsequent selling of the island to them by the Atis.
Dinagyang began after Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez of a local Roman Catholic parish introduced the devotion to Santo Niño in November 1967. In 1968, a replica of the original image of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought to Iloilo by Fr. Sulpicio Enderez 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.
In the beginning, the observance of the feast was enclosed to the parish. The Confradia patterned the festivity on the Ati-atihan of Ibajay, Aklan, where natives dance in the streets, their bodies covered with soot and ashes, to simulate the Atis dancing to celebrate the sale of Panay. It was these tribal groups who were the prototype of the present festival.
In 1977, the Marcos 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 the Iloilo Ati-atihan as its project. At the same time the local parish could no longer handle the growing challenges of the festival.
The Dinagyang is divided into three Major events: Ati-Ati Street Dancing, Kasadyahan Street Dancing and Miss Dinagyang.
Today, the main part of the festival consists of a number of "tribes", called "tribus", who are supposed to be Ati tribe members dancing in celebration. There are a number of requirements, including that the performers must paint their skin brown and that only indigenous materials can be used for the costumes. All dances are performed to drum music. Many tribes are organized by the local high schools. Some tribes receive a subsidiary from the organizers and recruit private sponsors, with the best tribes receiving the most. The current Ati population of Iloilo is not involved with any of the tribes nor are they involved in the festival in any other way.
Dinagyang was voted as the best Tourism Event for 2006, 2007 and 2008 by the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines. It is the first festival in the world to get the support of the United Nations for the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals, and cited by the Asian Development Bank as Best Practice on government, private sector & NGO cooperations.

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