5

DIFFERENT
FESTIVAL
DANCES
IN
THE
PHILIPPINES
 • SINULOG FESTIVAL

The Sinulog Festival is

celebrated to worship,
praise, and give gratitude
to Santo Niño, the child
image of Jesus Christ that
is said to be miraculous. It
is also the patron saint of
Cebu. Essentially, it is a
dance ritual to
commemorate that time
LOCATION: CEBU CITY, when Filipinos welcomed
PHILIPPINES and embraced Christianity.
 • MASSKARA FESTIVAL
The festival features a street
dance competition where
people from all walks of life
troop to the streets to see
masked dancers gyrating to
the rhythm of Latin musical
beats in a display of
mastery, gaiety, coordination
and stamina.

LOCATION: BACOLOD CITY,

PHILIPPINES
 • ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL
The Ati-Atihan festival is
a Philippine festival held
annually in January in
honor of the Santo Niño in
several towns of the
province of Aklan, Panay
Island. The biggest
celebration is held during
the third Sunday of
January in the town of
Kalibo, the province’s
capital.

LOCATION: KALIBO, AKLAN,

PHILIPPINES
 • DINAGYANG FESTIVAL
LOCATION: ILOILO CITY,
PHILIPPINES
It traces the history
of devotion to the
Holy Child Jesus
popularly known to
Filipino devotees as
Sr. Sto. Nino. The
festival also
commemorates the
arrival of the Malay
settlers and the
legendary barter of
Panay Island from the
natives called called
Ati
 • GIANT LANTERN FESTIVAL
LOCATION: PAMPANGA, PHILIPPINES
Why is Giant Lantern
Festival celebrated? It
was in 1931 that
electricity was
introduced to the San
Fernando lantern, thus
sparking the birth of
the first Giant Lantern
Festival. … As a show of
gratitude to Quezon, the
people of San Fernando
held a Christmas lantern
contest to honor the first
family.