ILOILO City – The Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) is now preparing for yet another grand Dinagyang Festival.
It has begun a series of consultative meetings to gather inputs from stakeholders and partners for the 2024 edition of the festival.
Set to highlight on Jan. 28, 2024, the socio-cultural and religious celebration will have as its theme, “Pagdayaw kay Señor Sto. Niño, Padayaw sang mga Ilonggo!”
Marking a series of activities are the Pamukaw on Dec. 16, 2023 and the opening salvo on Jan. 12, 2024.
Joyce Clavecillas, IFFI executive director, said the organizer, together with festival artistic director Eric Divinagracia, met as early as June and July this year with the Ilonggo Artists Festivals Association, the Ilonggo Commission for Culture and the Arts, and association of different barangay tribes.
“We also met with the Department of Education (DepEd) and school principals who have expressed enthusiasm to make comeback participation. All of these are being finalized,” Clavecillas told Panay News.
Although the number of participating tribes in the “Dagyang sa Barangay Tribe” competition is yet to be finalized, Clavecillas expected it would be the same with this year’s competition.
“We still have to finalize kon ano ang barangays nga ma-join,” Clavecillas said.
Eight tribes participated in the Dinagyang Festival 2023: Tribu Sagasa, Tribu Parianaon, Tribu Panaad, Tribu Familia Sagrada, Tribu Molave, Tribu Ilonggohanon, Tribu Kanyao sang Baybayanon, and Tribu Halimau.
Pioneering in 2023, the “Dinagyang Ilomination,” warrior costumes dazzling with light, and “Kasadyanan sa Kabanwahanan,” a showcase of Western Visayas’ various festivals, will also return next year.
The Dinagyang Festival 2023’s Kasadyahan also featured eight festivals from Iloilo, Antique and Negros Occidental:
* Tribu Jalaud from Calinog, Iloilo
* Tribu Miniluan from Talisay City, Negros Occidental
* Tribu Tiringbanay from San Jose de Buenavista, Antique
* Guban Manughaw-as sang Dumangas from Dumangas, Iloilo
* Sipalay Burangoy Kite Festival from Sipalay City, Negros Occidental
* Tribu Saludan from Tigbauan, Iloilo
* Tribu Madia-as from Culasi, Antique
* Pasalamat Festival from La Carlota City, Negros Occidental
The IFFI is also in talks with Dinagyang food festival organizations, according to Clavecillas.
2024 theme
According to the festival organizer, the 2024 Dinagyang theme encapsulates the Ilonggos’ unwavering faith and devotion to Señor Sto. Niño, as well as their being loud and proud of their culture, talents, food, and the city’s beauty, among others.
“Ang aton pagdayaw kay Sto. Niño kag ang showcase sang mga Ilonggo sang aton mga talento, kultura and sang Syudad sang Iloilo – the theme revolves around those aspects,” said Clavecillas.
She added: “Every year maakita naton how everybody works hard for the festival. So, we hope it’s still going to be a fun and meaningful gihapon nga celebration.”/PN
