Binatbatan Festival of the Arts

    The streets were closed, and people congregated in specific areas. The drums are pounding loudly and clearly. The street dancers are dressed in bright costumes and joyfully exclaim "Viva Vigan!" Binatbatan Festival has grown to become one of the major cultural gatherings in the Philippine archipelago's northwestern regions.

    The World Costume Festival is an international fashion festival held every two years in the Philippines city of Vigan City in Ilocos Sur. The event showcases indigenous and modern costumes geared towards live performances, such as drama, festivals, events, as well as multimedia presentations. It emphasizes apparel for special ritual occasions or theater performance work as opposed to regular fashion apparel. Its organizers aim to promote tourism as well as encourage native loom-weaving and fabrics. There is an emphasis on fabric materials and Philippine weaving methods such as batik, abel, and piña, from different parts of the Philippines. The Naturales of Vigan chose the year 1883 as “Tres de Mayo” in honor of Apo Lakay of the Simbaan a Bassit, who saved Vigan from a horrible disease in 1756. It has since evolved into the most colorful and major event in Bigueos, focusing on the commemoration of Apo Lakay's deliverance as well as the promotion of the local fabric, abel Iloco. It promotes agriculture with its Karbo festival, Calesa Parade, and Santacruzan, in addition to the street pageantry of the Binatbatan Street Dancing. Binatbatan Festival has its origins in Vigan's abel weaving industry, which existed long before the Spaniards arrived to colonize the Philippines. It comes from the word batbat, which refers to a pair of bamboo sticks used to remove cotton pods from kapas sanglay trees. In Ilocano, the word "kapas" comes from the word "kapas sanglay," which means "cotton."

    Binatbatan Festival is more than just a festival, with participants dressed in abel Iloko, a woven fabric native to the Ilocos Region. It highlights Vigan's rich culture and traditional industry. Festivals are significant events because they bring together and nourish culture, history, family bonds, and friendship, as well as introducing us to new people. We hope that the practice of holding fiestas in honor of our patron saints does not become a folklore in the future. 

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