The Most Spectacular Filipino Festivals in January

Hala bira!
by Andy Flores | January 11, 2018

15-21 January
Kalibo, Aklan

“Hala bira!” Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan Festival is among the Philippine’s most famous fiestas. A festival of pagan origins, it commemorates the arrival of the aboriginal natives or “atis” that once called the Panay island their home. Today, it is also a celebration for the Santo Niño.

To mimic the appearance of the atis, participants smear themselves with soot to darken their skin and don flashy, multi-colored tribal outfits made with indigenous materials, as they dance in the streets while carrying miniature statues of the Child Jesus.

Sinulog Festival