Eight tribes are set to compete in the January, 2025 edition of the Dinagyang Festival, as announced by the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) during the recent official launch of the 100-day countdown to the event. 
IFFI president Allan Ryan Tan confirmed that the competition will feature a mix of school-based and barangay-based contingents, highlighting a diverse lineup of participants.
First celebrated in 1967, the Dinagyang Festival has its roots in the devotion to the Sto. Niño de Cebu. The festival began as a religious celebration but expanded in 1969 to include the Barter of Panay, a historical reenactment of the trade between the native Ati people of Panay Island and the Malay settlers from Borneo. 
Over the decades, Dinagyang has grown into a globally recognized event, drawing tourists worldwide for its street performances featuring elaborate costumes, synchronized tribal dancing, and the powerful rhythm of drumbeats. It is the country’s biggest and most well-attended festival in the country, and is the recipient of various awards, including the “Asia Pacific Traditional Folklore Festival” at the 2024 Asia Festival Awards and the Champion of the Streetdance Competition of the 2024 Aliwan Fiesta “Festival of Festivals.”
The tribes competing in the upcoming Dinagyang Festival are:
- Tribu Paghidaet (La Paz National High School)
- Tribu Salognon (Jaro National High School)
- Tribu Parianon
- Tribu Ilonganon (Jalandoni Memorial National High School)
- Tribu Pag-asa Kang Mandurriao
- Tribu Hangaway
- Tribu Molave
- Tribu Pan-ay (Fort San Pedro National High School)
Tribu Pan-ay, the reigning champion of Dinagyang 2024, will be defending its title. The group also claimed top honors in the Aliwan Fiesta, a national competition featuring the best of the country’s cultural festivals.
The competing tribes gave a preview of their performances during the countdown event held at SM City Iloilo, offering a glimpse of the energetic street dances that the festival is known for.
Key events for Dinagyang 2025
IFFI also outlined a number of key events leading up to and during the Dinagyang Festival.
One of the major attractions this year will be the Ilomination Street Dance and Parade, which Tan promised would be “grander” than previous years. For the first time, lighted festivals from across the country have been invited to participate, making it a unique spectacle in the Philippines. 
Here is the list of confirmed key dates for the Dinagyang Festival 2025:
- December 16, 2024 – Dinagyang Pamukaw at San Jose Parish Placer, Freedom Grandstand
- January 9, 2025 – Opening Salvo of Kasadyahan at Iloilo Freedom Grandstand ● January 10, 2025 – Opening Salvo of Dinagyang at Iloilo Freedom Grandstand ● January 11, 2025 – Miss Iloilo Coronation Night at Western Visayas State University Cultural Center
- January 23–26, 2025 – Dinagyang Food Festival at Downtown Iloilo ● January 24, 2025 – Fluvial and Solemn Foot Procession at Muelle Loney and San Jose Parish Placer
- January 24, 2025 – Dinagyang Ilomination at Atria, SM City Iloilo, and Iloilo Business Park
- January 25, 2025 – Sponsors’ Mardi Gras Parade at Iloilo Freedom Grandstand and Downtown Areas
- January 25, 2025 – Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan at Iloilo Freedom Grandstand and Downtown Areas
- January 25, 2025 – Grand Religious Sadsad at San Jose Parish Placer ● January 25, 2025 – Novena Mass at San Jose Parish Placer
- January 26, 2025 – Dinagyang Tribes Competition at Iloilo Freedom Grandstand and Downtown Areas
- January 26, 2025 – Sadsad sa Calle Real at Iloilo Freedom Grandstand and Downtown Areas
- January 26, 2025 – Dinagyang Awarding Ceremony at Iloilo Freedom Grandstand
The 2025 Dinagyang Festival is expected to draw large crowds once again, continuing its tradition of celebrating cultural heritage with vibrant performances and religious devotion.
