It is the first time in a decade that we would not be covering Dinagyang Festival in my hometown, Iloilo. Felt that we lost a part of 2015 since it has been one of our “personal annual pilgrimages” every January. The annual feast, which gathers tens of thousands of visitors from all over, watch and experience outrageous dance moves and the throbbing beat of the drums, in honor of the arrival of Senor Santo Nino from Cebu.

The fourth weekend of January is celebrated starting with the religious foot and fluvial procession of the replica image of the Holy Child, the gathering of the festivals of Western Visayas on Saturday called Kasadyahan, and culminating with the famed painted warriors and elaborate choreography of the Ati Dance Competition.

For the festival aficionados, it closes one of the most celebrated seasons in the country, spanning from September to January.

We take a look back on Dinagyang Festival through the years…from our archives though. We weren’t born in 1964 yet, so we do hope a trip down to 2007 onwards would be fine. Hehe!!!

2007: The first images on Personal DigiCam

While we have been attending the celebrations since 2003, back then we don’t have a privilege of having a sophisticated camera. Also, we don’t have scanned image of those that were caught on film too. It was in 2007 when the first images of Dinagyang Festival in our personal digicam.

2007: Getting ready for the action. Tribu Atub-Atub

2007: Lord of the Ati

2007: Dagoy still in his old black-sooted colour. He is the “mascot” of the festival

2007: The performance level

2007: The obligatory groupie with the participants. You can grab one “photo op” after the competition from noontime till afternoon. Nagkalat sila. :D

2008: 40 years of Celebrating Faith and Dance

Perhaps one of the best years in terms of performance, Dinagyang 2008 was a year to behold. In it’s 4th decade, the simple Iloilo Ati-Atihan has become a unique fiesta of its own. It was the year when some of the contingents have set memorable dance moves and choreography that became a basis of some of the festival moves that we see today. Despite the rain that poured that morning, for the revelers and the locals, it is still considered a blessing from up above.

2009: The Year Bola-Bola Came Back

Perhaps nobody in Iloilo forgets “Tribu Bola-Bola” of Iloilo National High School. The contingent itself became a legend in setting the standards of what Dinagyang choreography is now. Champion for several times in the 90s and in 2000s, it took a break from the fanfare for several years before coming back one more time in 2009. Old timers surely have this anticipating nostalgia.

The tradition continues well into the second decade of the 21st century. Next would be a collection of Dinagyang memories from 2010 to 2014!

For now, Hala Bira Iloilo! Viva Pit Senyor Santo Nino!!!