DINAGYANG
FESTIVAL

Iloilo, Philippines

Celebrated every 4th Sunday of January
It is one of the religious festivities in the Philippines that celebrates the feast of the Santo Niño and the pact between the Datus and locals. The festival transforms the Iloilo City into a massive street party with overflowing drinks and food. The most exciting part is that the city hosts a highly competitive dance contest and grand float parades.

The participants show impressive choreography with colorful tribal costumes and striking props to present socio-cultural and religious tableaus depicting life in Panay before the Spanish colonization and the advent of Catholicism in the country.

MASSKARA
FESTIVAL

Bacolod, Philippines

Celebrated every 4th Sunday of October
The center of the MassKara festival is the big vibrant masks. A lot of barangays and groups are working hard to give world-class performances complete with crafted masks and eye-catching outfits. As The City of Smiles, expect Bacolod locals to give you the warmest welcome. Festivals in the Philippines usually bring out the most hospitable spirit in everyone.

The music used for the celebration has enjoyed a colorful evolution, just like the festival. From folk songs, the festival now uses a combination of Latin beat remixes as well as Philippine Jazz to grace the street dances.

SINULOG
FESTIVAL

Cebu, Philippines

Celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January
It is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. The major festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Nino, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu.

It is fundamentally a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people's pagan past and their recognition of Christianity. Besides the religious part of the celebration, Sinulog is also well-known for its street parties before the day of celebration and during the day of the festival.

ATI-ATIHAN
FESTIVAL

Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines

Celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January
It is a Philippine festival held annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño (Holy Child or Infant Jesus) in several towns of the province of Aklan, Panay Island. The name Ati-Atihan means "to imitate Ati", the local name of the Aeta people, the first settlers of Panay Island and other parts of the archipelago.

They celebrated with dancing and music, with the Borneans having painted their bodies with soot to show their gratefulness and camaraderie with the Aeta who had dark skin.

SANDUGO
FESTVIVAL

Tagbiliran, Bohol, Philippines

Celebrated in the month of July
is a historical event that takes place yearly in the island of Bohol. Otherwise known as the Bohol Sandugo Celebration or the Blood Compact Commemoration, this festival commemorates the treaty of friendship of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Datu Sikatuna; two people of different race and creed.

It features an agro-industrial fair, cultural and historical showcase, sports events, a beauty pageant, balls and dances, entertainment shows, and streetdancing which culminates with the re-enactment of the blood compact or Sandugo.

BINIRAYAN
FESTIVAL

Antique, Philippines

Celebrated in the month of December
It commemorates the roots of Antiqueños: the Malays and the Atis, who were the island’s first settlers. The festival re-enacts the story of the ten Bornean datus who fled to the island of Panay. Binirayan has evolved from a 3-day celebration to a month-long affair for the entire province of Antique.

Regardless of when it was celebrated, the festival always starts with the fluvial parade and re-enactment of the landing of the 10 Bornean datus. Highlights of the festival include the Lin-ay Kang Antique Pageant Night and the Malay-Ati Competition.

PINTADOS-KASADYAAN
FESTIVAL

Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines

Celebrated every 29th of June
The merged celebration of the Pintados Festival and Kasadyaan Festival in Tacloban City based on the body-painting traditions of the ancient tattooed “pintados” warriors. Dancers paint their bodies in patterns that resemble armor to represent past warriors. The festival was officially called Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival and also known as the “Festival of Festivals."

The most expected aspect of the Pintados festival are the festive dancers. During the course of the Pintados festival, dancers whose bodies are painted in an amazing array of colors fill the streets of Tacloban city.