Festival of Arts

Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, is a city that has stood the test of time. It features a classic Hispanic checkerboard street layout. Calle Crisilogo, the major thoroughfare, features houses made of brick and wood with steeply pitched roofs reminiscent of traditional Chinese architecture. Vigan is a very well-preserved and complete example of a European trading town in East and Southeast Asia. Vigan was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 due to its unique qualities. The city’s impressive architecture matches its people. Local artists thrive in keeping the city vibrant thru Viva Vigan Binatbatan Festival of the Arts. ”Binatbatan” is the process of beating cotton pods to remove the seeds for Abel weaving. Which locals interpreted into an occupational dance with the use of two sticks called ”batbat”. Binabatan street dance is one of the main attractions during the week-long celebrations. The festival also showcases local art of mosaicking seeds called ”boklan”. Carabao painting, Kalesa parade, spoken poetry, Abel decors, and fashion show. Plus a fun shoot, capturing the Vigan experience.

The first Feast of the Natives began on May 3, 1883, according to Vigan historian Damaso King. In 1882, an epidemic sickness killed 934 people in a month. The 'naturales' and'mestizos' approached Dr. Evaristo Abaya, the parish priest at the time, and requested that the Santo Cristo Milagroso of Sinait town visit Vigan. A novena was then welcomed in by the people. The epidemic finally halted on the ninth day. Since then, the naturales of Vigan have designated the third day of May as Santo Cristo's feast day, which also happens to be the feast day of the Holy Cross and the Santo Cristo of Sinait town.

The religious and secular significance of Viva Vigan's week-long celebrations cannot be overstated. It all begins on May 1st, when the entire country commemorates Labor Day and Vigan honors Isabelo de los Reyes, who created the country's first labor federation. On this day, the Catholic faithful also remembers St. Joseph, the patron saint of laborers. The Binatbatan Festival activities, which feature a street dance competition, follow the first-day observance. Binatbatan dance is linked to the abel Iloco craft of Vigan. The dance represents the process of beating cotton pods with bamboo sticks to remove the cotton fluff known as batbat from its seed. An event began in 2002 to highlight this ancient weaving technique that predates the advent of the Spaniards.