Dinagyang at SM Iloilo

MANILA, Philippines - This year’s Dinagyang Festival brings more excitement by celebrating the history and culture of Iloilo in a series of events at SM City Iloilo.

Dinagyang is a religious and cultural festival held in Iloilo every fourth Sunday of January in honor of the Sto. Niño. It also celebrates the arrival of Malay settlers in Panay, who eventually bought the island by the Atis.

The festival began in 1967 when Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez introduced the devotion to the Santo Niño in his local parish.

To assist tourists joining the festival, a Tourism Information Desk has been set up for inquiries. The Tourism Desk, in partnership with the Department of Tourism VI, the Iloilo City Tourism and Development Office, the Association of Iloilo Travel and Tour Operators, and the Iloilo Hotels, Resorts, and Restaurants Association, will be at the mall until Jan. 24.

Organized by the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc., Dinagyang Arts Festival showcasing different art forms is ongoing until tomorrow, Jan. 21 at the Events Center, culminating in a painting competition on the same day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Photographic Society of Iloilo will hold an exhibit showcasing Dinagyang through the years from the ‘70s to the present. This is until Jan. 24 at the Lower Ground Floor.

Not to be missed is the food festival on Jan. 22 to 24, which will highlight the best in Iloilo cuisine — from the grilled specialties to delicacies at the SM Foodcourt. Festivities will culminate with the Luces in the Sky, a spectacular fireworks display on Jan. 22 and 23, 7 p.m.