Kalibo Ati-atihan Festival

2020 KALIBO ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

This 2010 Ati-Athan Festival will now run ten days long.

Friday, January 10, 2020
7:00 PM: Sadsad Students Night(Dancing Live Music) @ Kalibo Pastrana Park

Saturday, January 11, 2020
9:00 AM: Regional Airsoft Competition @ Kalibo Pastrana Park
3:00 PM Auto show @  Pastrana Kalibo Park
7:00 PM: Live Musi c@ Magsaysay Park

Sunday, January 12, 2020
1:00 PM: Motorcycle Ride @ Kalibo Ptrna Park
7:00 PM: Night Party @ Magsaysay Park

Monday, January 13, 2020
1:00 PM: Parade of tribes and Floats @  Pastrana Kalibo Park
7:00 PM: TBA @ Magsaysay Park

Tuesday, January 14, 2020
2:00 PM – 12 midnight: SANG KALIBO TAMBOE AND STREET PARTY @ Streets around Kalibo Pstrna Park

Wednesday, January 15, 2020
1:00 PM to 6:00 pm.: PAGDAYAW KAY SR. STO.NINO (DEP-ED STUDENTS) @ Main Streets of Kalibo
7:00 PM: BATTLE OF THE SOUNDS @ Kalibo Park – Pastrana

Thursday, January 16, 2020
8:00 AM-12:00 noon: SINAOT SA CALLE (DEP-ED TEACHERS) @ Major Streets of Kalibo
1:00 PM – 6:00 PM: HIGANTE CONTEST (Parade of Giants) @ Main Kalibo Streets

Friday, January 17, 2020
8:00 AM: Ati-Atihan street dancing (whole day) “Sadsad Pagpasaeamat” @ All Major Kalibo  Streets
7:00 PM-2:00 AM: KALIBO INVASION-SPECTRUM (Music) @ Goding Ramos Park, Capitol Ground

Saturday, January 18, 2020 (Big day)
4:00 AM: DAWN PENITENTIAL PROCESSION, around main Kalibo streets
8:00 AM: Tribal, Balik-Ati & Modern and Individual Ati-Atihan Festival Contest, Starting point at D.Maagma St. to the Major streets of Kalibo
12 Noon: HORNADA (BLESSING OF CHILDREN) @ St. John Baptist Cathedral

Sunday, January 19, 2030 (Last day)
6:30 AM: STO.NINO DE KALIBO TRANSFER AND PILGRIM Mass @ St. John Baptist Cathedral
2:00 PM: RELIGIOUS PROCESSION AND TORCH STREET DANCING, around Kalibo and Cathedral Parish of St. John the Baptist
8:00 AM: CLOSING MASS:” SADSAD PAGHATOD” | Cathedral Parish of St. John the Baptist to the Shrine of Sr. Sto. Nino De Kalibo
9:00 AM:” PAGPADUNGOG”|  Park Magsaysay, Kalibo, Aklan

All week long (Daily)
Snake Dancing and Partying (people weaving like a snake) at Magsaysay Park
9:00 AM-12:00MN: Food Festival at Pstrna Park(fast foods and culinary specialties)
6 PM-1:AM| Magsaysay Park Food & Party Festival @ Magsaysay Park
8:00AM -1:00AM: Ati-Atihan Bazaar @ Veterans Avenue
Kalibo Ati-Atihan Trade Fair @ Kalibo Plaza Trade Hall

About Kalibo Ati-atihan Festival

Filipinos love celebrations – every little thing that can be celebrated tends to be celebrated and commemorated with merriment and gaiety. The Filipino style of celebrating is famous the world over – if not centered on religious patrons, celebrations are founded on family and values which we hold dear. And what celebrations would be complete without the requisite merriment accompanied by music, dancing and colorful costumes with the succulent servings of delicacies and dishes that is truly Filipino?

Kalibo, Aklan becomes the center of the universe in the Filipino calendar of celebrations every third week of January as it gathers people from all walks of life to participate in the feast known as Ati-atihan Festival. A religiously-centered festival honoring the place of the infant Jesus (Sto. Nino) in the lives of Filipinos all over the world, it also serves as a historical commemoration of the importance of the Aetas’ (or Atis) acceptance of the presence of the Malays during their foray into the province. When the Aetas encountered a famine and were in dire straits, the Malays offered them refuge and

Ati-atihan Festival, also known as “The Mother of All Philippine Festivals” as it does bring forth all the requisite elements of a colorful festival. Perhaps the central spectacle in the celebration is the participants in the street dancing part of the festival. Sporting soot-blackened skins and colorful costumes and headdresses which identify them as part of a tribe. They represent their tribes proudly as they dance to the haunting rhythm of the drums and the music that has an otherworldly effect – enchantingly caressing the soul of the performers, removing their inhibitions from performing in front of so many people in the streets. Hopping, shifting their feet and dancing to the rhythm of the music, they traverse the streets of Kalibo, amazing the onlookers with their own brand of merriment.

The ubiquitous chants of “Hala Bira, Pwera Pasma!” fill the air as the merrymakers continuously chant it as they parade along the streets, calling out to the onlookers to come and join them in the merriment. The chants also serve as a talisman, founded on the belief that the Infant Jesus would protect them from any harm as they parade through the streets. As the parade passes, time seems to lose meaning as you get sucked into the festivities and the gaiety of the Ati-atihan Festival. You do not seem to sense any tiredness as the day drags along – the activities seem to infuse you with such an energy that replenishes itself from the atmosphere of like-minded people.

And the festivities officially reach the penultimate point of the occasion with a parade of thousands of believers who carry different images and statues of the Infant Jesus, all of whom fervently wishing that their personal wishes would be granted through His intercession. Every step counts as part of their promise to the Infant Jesus and each step brings them closer to the fruition of their devotions. Ati-atihan Festival officially comes to a close with the announcement of winners in a huge masquerade party that rivals that of the street dancing in pomp and pageantry.

Festivals obviously aren’t complete without any taste of the local fare and in the lulls of the Ati waves, when you feel the need to replenish your energy stores, try the mouthwatering delicacies that the local dive spots and the ubiquitous hole in the wall eateries that each offer various versions of the dishes that are uniquely Aklanon.

Living up to the moniker of being the Mother of All Philippine Festivals can be considered as a huge undertaking but Kalibo makes it work, year after year. While it may be difficult, the participants still outdo the previous iterations with much more pomp and pageantry. And that, in itself is a huge success.

 

LIST OF BUDGET HOTELS IN KALIBO, AKLAN

Attending the Ati-atihan festival requires you to book your hotel room in advance. Book and confirm your reservation below by clicking the links provided. Almost all of these places offer some discounts for you to grab.

Ati-Atihan Festival Hotel
19 Martyrs Street, City Proper
DISCOUNTED RATE, BOOK FOR ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL HERE

Aranas-Carillo Travellers Inn
Regino, Roldan Street, City Proper, Kalibo, Philippines, 560

Basa Hotel
JNC Martelino Street, Andagao, Aklan, City Prope

Bee Bee Lodge
Barangay Old Buswang, City Proper

Discover Boracay Hotel
Kalibo International Airport Complex, Kalibo International Airport
 BOOK FOR ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL  HERE

DREAMLAND RESIDENCES HOTEL
New Buswang Kalibo, Aklan

Hotel Metro
Toting Reyes Street, City Prope

Inn and Suites at Roz and Angeliques
Jaime Cardinal Sin Avenue, Kalibo, Philippines, 560

La Esperanza Hotel
Osmeña Avenue, City Prope

LM Lodge
LM Bldg., F. Quimpo St., City Proper, Kalibo, Philippines, 5600
 BOOK FOR ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL HERE

Oliveros’ Place
Roxas Avenue Extension, Andagao

Papierus Pensionne
647 Osmena Avenue, Capitol Site, Estancia, City Prope

Royal Suites Condotel
Rizal St. Poblacion

RB Lodge Kalibo
Pastrana St and N. Roldan Street, City Proper
DISCOUNTED RATE, BOOK FOR ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL HERE

Suburbia Garden Hotel
Osmena Avenue Tigayon
 

Kalibo Ati-atihan Festival

HOW TO GET TO KALIBO, AKLAN

Kalibo, Aklan is the gateway to the famous Boracay Beach. It has an International Airport and considered as one of the busiest airports in the country

GETTING AROUND KALIBO DURING ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL

Kalibo to Caticlan (Boracay port)

Tour buses are available as you arrive at the Kalibo airport and travel directly to Caticlan (the gateway to Boracay Island). The fare from Kalibo to Caticlan is approximately PhP 200/person. These buses usually adjust to the schedules of the place arrivals to cater to the guests arriving.

Vans are also available to transport guests to Caticlan. The fare is approximately PhP 200/person.

Caticlan to Boracay
Boracay Island is approximately 1 km away from Caticlan. The moment you arrive at Caticlan get inside the Caticlan Jetty port building where you need to purchase your boat ticket. Guests need to pay: boat ticket (25 pesos), Environmental Fee ticket (75 pesos), terminal fee ticket (100 pesos).
Several boats are traveling to and from to Boracay with only a few minutes’ intervals. Boats are available as early as 4:00 am up to 10: pm

ATM machines are also available at Jetty port building.

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