‘WE LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC’: Dinagyang 2027 brings back Calle Real vibes

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Dinagyang Festival in 2027 will return to its traditional roots, with performances shifting back to the City Proper district of Iloilo City, the revival of old performance and judging areas, the carousel-style presentation, and the return of banderitas, following controversies and public feedback from the recent celebration.

Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. chairperson Judgee Peña said Tuesday, Jan. 27, that next year’s Dinagyang will revert to its original route along Calle Real, with the foundation considering the installation of four to five judging areas for the Dinagyang Tribes Competition.

“We will return to the tradition, the old one. Before, everything was along Calle Real, and we plan to restore four or five judging areas,” Peña said.

In earlier editions of the festival, the main judging areas were located at the Quezon–Ledesma intersection, Mabini–Delgado intersection, the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, and the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand.

With the revival of the old stages, Peña said IFFI also plans to bring back the carousel-style performances, where competing tribes perform simultaneously across multiple judging areas in a rotating sequence.

“Our 360-degree carousel will return. Everything will go back to Calle Real,” he said.

This year, performances followed a linear route, starting at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, passing through Gaisano La Paz, and ending at the Iloilo Sports Complex.

Peña said the introduction of new routes this year posed no major problems and was generally “smooth,” but emphasized that public sentiment will guide future decisions.

“Whatever the public wants, we need to give it. We do not own the festival. We are just tasked to organize it. We will listen to the comments of the public. We do not turn a deaf ear,” he said.

He explained that the inclusion of the Iloilo Sports Complex as a performance area this year was primarily intended to provide additional seating capacity for spectators.

Peña also clarified that the absence of banderitas during this year’s festival was not a decision made by IFFI but was suggested by brand sponsors.

“We will bring it back so the festival will be more festive and beautiful. We will ask them to bring it back next year. That was not our decision—it was the sponsors’ decision. If that is the request of the public, we will bring it back,” he said.

While banderitas were installed in select areas of the food festival, the colorful triangular flag decorations were absent from the main parade routes of the competition.

IFFI earlier explained that their removal was due to aesthetic considerations along Calle Real, efforts to reduce plastic waste, and safety concerns.

Regarding complaints over expensive ticket prices that allegedly made the festival less accessible, Peña said pricing is being reviewed by the IFFI board in consultation with the Iloilo City mayor.

“We are pricing it properly and adjusting when needed. If we make it too cheap, we will not be able to recover our costs. We will study it,” he said.

Despite controversies surrounding this year’s celebration, Peña maintained that Dinagyang 2026 was successful, citing the massive crowds that attended major festival events.

“It was really successful because the public really united. We drew a massive crowd,” he said.

Peña added that IFFI has yet to decide whether Tribu Salognon of Jaro National High School, the champion of this year’s Dinagyang Tribes Competition, will represent Iloilo in the Aliwan Fiesta.

He also said discussions are ongoing regarding the possible participation of the Tultugan Festival of Maasin, Iloilo, in the Dinagyang Tribes Competition, after the festival recently secured a grand slam victory in this year’s Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan competition.