Dinagyang Food Festival to debut first 360° stage

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Dinagyang Food Festival 2026 is gearing up for a major facelift with the introduction of its first 360-degree stage — a centerpiece that organizers say will redefine the festival’s entertainment experience.

The Iloilo Hotels, Restaurants, and Resorts Association (IHRRA), which manages the annual food festival, confirmed that the circular stage will be installed at the intersection of Delgado and Valeria Streets in the City Proper.

IHRRA president Happy Abenir said the surrounding roads have been divided into four zones: Delgado 1 (Citadines to Veterans Bank), Delgado 2 (SM to Philtrust Bank), Valeria 1 (Chowking at MerryMart to Mercury Drugstore), and Valeria 2 (SM Delgado to Atrium Mall).

Abenir said both sections of Delgado Street — being four lanes wide — will host booths on both sides.

She said Valeria Street will have tents only on one side to keep the opposite lane open for pedestrian flow.

The food festival, which will run from Jan. 22 to 25, 2026, will feature a single-stage entertainment setup, a shift from previous editions where multiple streets hosted separate performance areas.

Abenir said centralizing the performances aims to give visitors a shared, more immersive experience.

“All of the patrons can share in the program that we are providing, in the live entertainment that we are providing. So walang lamangan. Everybody shares. This is going to be a first for the Iloilo Dinagyang Food Festival,” she said on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

To ensure visibility even from a distance, Abenir said IHRRA is also planning to mount large LED walls beside the walkway.

“We are very particular about that because we are there to come, enjoy, and watch the program. So the experience is 360,” she said.

She added that organizers also decided to limit the number of tents as a safety measure.

She said adequate spacing between stalls will act as fire exits and emergency pathways.

Abenir said Delgado 1 is set to accommodate 52 food stalls, while Delgado 2 will have 60.