The Dinagyang Festival has earned its reputation for impressive choreography, colorful costumes, and cultural significance.
SM City Iloilo was alive with festivity as mall-goers enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere and excitement of the celebration through the AweSM experience. This year’s ILOmination was extraordinary as it was participated by various light festivals in the country.
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Darren Espanto
Donnie Pangilinan and Belle Mariano
Tradition and modernity are showcased perfectly at SM City Iloilo.
The AweSM Dinagyang Fun Ride 2025 brought together over 400 participants in a powerful celebration of health, wellness, and community spirit.
One of the highlights of the Dinagyang Festival was the ILOmination Philippine Light Festival on Jan. 24, held at the SM City Iloilo mall facade, the official venue and main judging area for the event.
Vibrant and intricately-designed costumes, crafted by Ilonggo talents of the eight participating Dinagyang 2025 tribes, were showcased on the day of the competition at the Freedom Grandstand and streets of the city. Earlier in the week, shoppers were given the rare chance to see these costumes first at the AweSM Iloilo centerpiece at SM City Iloilo.
The Best of Iloilo booths offered various souvenirs for visitors to bring home pieces of Iloilo and to make their Dinagayang experience more memorable.
The vibrant city of Iloilo recently welcomed visitors to the much-anticipated Dinagyang Festival 2025. Known for its unique fusion of tradition and modernity, the festival showcased Ilonggo culture, craftsmanship and culinary heritage.
Derived from the Hiligaynon word for revelry, “Dinagyang” embodies the spirit of joy and celebration.
The Dinagyang Festival earned its reputation for impressive choreography, colorful costumes, and cultural significance.
This year, the festival went beyond performances, offering a wide array of events at SM City Iloilo.
With its “AweSM Iloilo” campaign, SM City Iloilo served as the centerstage of the Dinagyang 2025 festivities, delivering unforgettable experiences for locals and tourists alike.
The Dinagyang celebration kicked off on 15 January with the special screening of Cande’ at SM Cinema 3.
The highly anticipated Ilonggo film was directed by the award-winning Ilonggo filmmaker and University of the Philippines Visayas professor, Kevin Piamonte, and produced by lawyer Jobert Peñaflorida and Rhea Peñaflorida.
On 17 January, the Dinagyang tRAIbaho PESO Job Fair 2025 took place at the Event Center with 97 local companies, 14 business process outsourcing (BPO) businesses, and nine international firms offering career opportunities.
A total of 3,451 applicants were interviewed, with 2,566 qualifying, 1,545 selected for further interviews, and 220 hired on the spot.
The Dinagyang Fun Ride then followed on 18 January at South Point from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., participated in by almost 500 riders.
From 19 to 26 January, visitors explored the AweSM Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Costumes Exhibit at the Event Center.
Simultaneously, the AweSM Tourism Booth at North Point and the AweSM Festival Sale mallwide also ran daily during the same period. The Best of Iloilo Fair was also open at both the Event Center and North Point during these dates.
The festival continued with the Dinagyang Arnis Competition at Cyberzone from 23 to 25 January, while meet-and-greets and parades with the Dinagyang Warriors happened daily from 23 to 26 January around the mall, between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.
the Batchoy Festival, and the South Point Party, all happening at South Point from 23 to 26 January.
Highlighting Iloilo’s reputation as a gastronomic haven, the Grand Iloilo Food Festival and Batchoy Festival delighted food enthusiasts, offering a delectable showcase of the region’s culinary excellence.
From 23 to 27 January, visitors enjoyed the Music and Arts Festival at South Point from 6 pm. to 12 a.m., showcasing vibrant performances and creative displays.
