I went to Iloilo for the Dinagyang festival a week after I experienced my first Sinulog festival in Cebu, to complete a memorable back-to-back festival incursion. Both festivals have many similarities starting from their devotion to the Sto. Niño. The two festivals also feature elegant and colorful street parades. Both revelries also attract a huge crowd that eventually stays up and parties all night long like jubilant citizens celebrating the end of a war.
Rhythms of Devotion: Experiencing the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo
From Sinulog to Dinagyang: Twin Festivals
However, as almost similar to each other, these twin festivals presented me a unique joy of witnessing each festivity in two different places. Cebu and the Sinulog Festival provided me its own vibrant mood climaxed by the wild street parties at night, while the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo gifted me with a different set of intensity. This observation has made me glad that I was able to experience both in a span of one week. Coming from the highs of the festivities in Cebu, the downshift of going back to Manila for a couple of days' work and back again to a raucous but fun setting in Iloilo the next weekend.
Life is so much fun when you get a balance of things. Work brings a trait of responsibility and working on a particular goal, while traveling in between cures the sheepish occurrences of a normal life. It's like bringing a jolt of electricity through a straight line with experiences like these—of new places, of festivals, of massive celebrations reverberating through drum beats and merrymaking. Most of all, meeting new friends and creating meaningful experiences to treasure down the road.
A Pre-Festival Visita Iglesia & Rest
Which was all I experienced during the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo. I arrived there first thing Friday morning to meet my lovely couchsurfing host Joanne after lunch. With nothing yet to do, I embarked on a Visita Iglesia tour of Iloilo. I visited churches in Molo, Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miag-ao (my 2nd time), and San Joaquin.
By lunchtime I was already in Iloilo City meeting up with Joanne. We proceeded to hang out at her friend's place where we had our lunch. Afterward, we finished a few bottles of beer and smoked some weed. Yeah, I tried that thing a few times in the past—not to get super high and crazy though—just to clear my mind. It did wipe my mind of worry, as I went to sleep for 12 hours straight after that. After enduring sleepless nights of Thursday and Friday, it was what doctor sleep ordered.
The Drumbeats and Tribal Street Dancing
I awoke Saturday morning filled with energy courtesy of my very long slumber and the mighty atmosphere being felt all around in the city. Hearing drumming beats everywhere, shouts of joy, and the uniformed breath of anticipation from people lining up the streets waiting for the street parade. I joined my fellow couchsurfing guests Alina and Yan (an American and German couple traveling the world for the last 1 and a half years and into their 3rd month in the Philippines) out into the streets as early as 7am.
We managed to insert ourselves into the thick crowd and watched a half dozen tribes perform on one of the 5 or 6 staging grounds. That was before I was pushed back by the eager crowd. I left them there while I met up with Marinelle (another travel blogger) and her cool mom. They too, were pushed back from the crowd, so we decided to explore other places around Iloilo. So, for the second time in two days, I went on a trip from the city to San Joaquin—showing Marinelle and her mom the churches I visited the previous day. By afternoon we were back again in the Dinagyang fest city of Iloilo.
Street Parties, Oysters, and Karaoke Nights
I spent the remaining daylight taking a brief rest before going out again that night with Joanne, Alana, and Yan while we waited for Ada to arrive. We had a sumptuous dinner for five at a "Talabahan" place near SmallVille. We were supposed to attend a Couchsurfing meeting at SmallVille, but Alina was adamant about attending by saying, "A CS meeting in an expensive restaurant." Agreeing with her observation, we opted to feast on cheap plate-fulls of oysters at only 70 pesos per plate and went home happy.
The next day—Sunday—was the highlight part of the Dinagyang Festival. We partook in the parade by watching the tribes and contingents pass by, fighting through the crowd to get a closer look at the performances.
The tribes came out in full force adorned with decorative and colorful costumes. Each facial expression depicted numerous human emotions. While waiting for the start of the performance, I got a bit bored at the redundant introductions of VIPs (politicians) in attendance. The Congressman took the microphone and introduced Presidential sister Ballsy Aquino, Senator Drilon, the Governor, then a bunch of other local officials. Drilon then took the stand and did the same, the Governor followed him and introduced the VIPs again, and then the Mayor did the exact same thing again.
Not finding joy in how the politicians hijacked the early morning celebration, a yell of "Hala Bira!" echoed once the host told the crowd the street dancing will begin. It was then the young men and women from Iloilo and neighboring places did what they have prepared so well and long for—they kicked butt and entertained the crowd, who were hopping to their feet simultaneously with the deafening chants and drum beats.
It was another wonderful experience to enjoy both my first Dinagyang and first Sinulog festivals back-to-back. I didn't get burned out by what some call 'festival overload'. I was in fact inspired by the idea that I should plan attending every festival held all over the Philippines.
- Explore more of Iloilo's historic landmarks during our Visit to Miagao Church.
