Melo Villareal
Aliwan Fiesta 2015 Schedule of Activities
What is Aliwan Fiesta?
Since 2003, Aliwan Fiesta has been an annual event wherein contingents all over the country compete in dance parade, float competitions, and beauty competitions. Dubbed as the “Mother of All Fiestas,” Aliwan Fiesta gathers the various cultural festivals in the country which are set to perform in Star City Complex in Pasay City.
Aliwan Fiesta 2015 in Star City CCP Complex Lungsod ng Pasay photo by July August via Flickr Creative Commons
As an event organized by the collaboration of Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) in line with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the cities of Manila and Pasay, this makes an exciting event to all participants for its grand prize totalling of 3 million pesos. Originally organized as an event for the Christmas season, Aliwan Fiesta has since been held during the summer season of either April or May. More than just an event of entertainment (the word “aliwan” meant entertainment or amusement in Tagalog), the contingents of the event also aims to promote their respective regions with the event.
Aliwan Fiesta 2015
For this coming year of 2015, Aliwan Fiesta is once again hitting the streets as it is set to perform and showcase the beauty of various Filipino festivals with the aim of competing with one another for the grand prize. Aliwan Fiesta 2015 is the 13th iteration of the same event that had us mesmerized every year and is slated for performance on August 23 to August 25 this coming 2015. The streetdancing competition will be held on the last day of the event.
Aliwan Fiesta Streetdancer by Clark Valera via Flickr Creative Commons
The highlight of this 3-day event involves the nightly shows, trade fairs, dance competitions, float parade festival queen search, and the national streetdancing competition. The grand winner of the event can take home the grand prize of one million pesos. Whether the total amount for this coming year’s grand prize is final or not or whether it is open for future amendments is not yet known. But as of disclosure and official statements, the grand prize for Aliwan Fiesta 2015 will only receive a total of one million pesos.
To make the event more exciting, Aliwan Fiesta 2015 will showcase the following events for every audience to see and experience:
- Bazaar
- Nightly Concerts
- Float Competition National Street Dance Competition
- Reyna ng Aliwan 2015
Looking Back at Aliwan Fiesta 2014
Last year’s Aliwan Fiesta 2014 was as exhilarating as the event is known for. Looking back at the event, the following are its highlights:
- Cebu Sinulog Festival represented by Lumad Basakanon of Cebu City won the overall event by winning as: Best in Costume, Best in Music, and as the Streetdance Grand Champion.
- First runner-up: Meguyaya Festival, Upi Maguindanao
- Second runner-up: Tnalak Festival represented by Municipality of Santo Niño South Cotabato
- Third runner-up: Laoag City’s Pamulinawen Festival
- Pride of Place Best in Folkloric Choreography: Adivay Festival of Kabayan Benguet
- Reyna ng Aliwan Fiesta 2014: Steffi Rose Pearson Aberasturri representing Cebu Sinulog Festival
Aliwan Fiesta 2015 photos by incrediblethots via Flickr Creative Commons
List of Aliwan Fiesta 2015 Contingents
– soon
List of Aliwan Fiesta 2015 Winners
– soon
Aliwan Fiesta Trivia:
- Contingents that had the most number of wins in the cultural dance category includes Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City and Sinulog Festival of Cebu City.
- For winning three consecutive times in Aliwan 2006, 2007, 2008, Sinulog Festivals’ Lumad Basakanon is the first and only festival contingent to be inducted to the Aliwan Hall of Fame.
