Melo Villareal
Get your camera ready for the The Amazing Aliwan Fiesta 2012! The Philippines is a group of over 7000 islands where many different cultures exist with different island festivals to enjoy. Traditional festivals are usually held on an annual basis in each City, Municipalities or communities, usually as a remembrance of the town’s patron saint, a celebration of a good harvest or to honor the foundation of the Town or City.
Aliwan Fiesta 2012 Schedule of Activities
These festivals often combine religion, tradition, and culture in amazing displays of color and craftsmanship. Beginning in the year 2003, the Aliwan Fiesta was started as a way to gather and showcase these many different festivals. Tourists that are planning to go to the Aliwan Fiesta, can find affordable accommodation on holidays nearby the festivals.
The Philippines is divided into 17 regions and each may send as many as two groups to represent the local cultural festival, and those have been chose through a stiffly competitive process. The different cultural groups actually compete in parades that combine street dancing with giant floats that can only be described as works of art. In addition, a beauty pageant is run with competitors from the different cultural areas with pageant contestant wearing costumes representing their own festival.
This years Aliwan Fiesta will be on April 12-14, 2012. As early as now, some delegations already confirmed their participation in the upcoming festival of festivals. Among the contingents that recently confirmed their participation is Alang-Alang, Leyte’s contingent which copped the recent Sinulog free interpretation championship, 2009 champion Buyugan festival, and defending champion Tribu Panay, which recently won the Dinagyang Ati-Ati championship for the second consecutive year. Also readily signifying their intention to see action are Baguio’s Panagbenga, Batangas’ Ala-eh festival, and Mindoro’s Pandang GItab, which all made it to the top 10 last year.
The Aliwan grand parade will be on April 14, 2012 and will kick off at the Quirino Grandstand and make its way to the CCP Complex for the final street dancing showdown in front of the Aliw Theater.
In all, over 5000 dancers win the right to dance along the 4 kilometer parade route. In Aliwan Fiesta 2012, the dancing, the floats and the pageant are separate competitions, and the winning contingent in each area receives a cash prize, with the winner of the cultural dance competition hailed as the champion of the festival.
Checkout this link to view the Participating Festivals in the 2012 Aliwan Fiesta.
Although viewing the Aliwan Fiesta 2012 in person is an experience like no other, the collection of photos and stories from each year is more than just a cash price for each spectator. Join the Aliwan Fiesta Forum! and like Aliwan Fiesta on Facebook!
