Dinagyang 2011 Quick Guide - Winners, schedules, hotels, activities and more!

Congratulations to the Dinagyang 2011 Festival winners. The crowd favorite Tribu Pan-ay of Fort San Pedro National HIgh School really deserved to win for giving a superb performance garnered a standing ovation in almost every judging area especially the main performance area - Freedom Grandstand. From the start of the festival - I was fortunate enough to watch it live and on television simultaneously. What made Tribu Pan-ay wrestle the crown away from the defending Dinagyang (and Aliwan Festival) champion, Tribu Paghidaet, is the flawless, energetic, different concept, excellent choreography among the tribes. In short, it was a very superb over all performance. So aside from representing Iloilo City in the upcoming Aliwan Festival (I'm sure it'll land in the Top 3, as usual, for ever since the start of the Aliwan Dinagyag had always been in those spots.), Tribu Pan-ay will be performing in New York City, USA in the Philippine 113th Independence Day Festivities in June 2011.

Meanhwile another upset was staged in the Kasadyahan competition when the 2010 champion (and Aliwan 2010 2nd runner up), Tribu Kasag of Banate, Iloilo failed to defend it's crown and succumb to another tribe of gastronomic proportion - Tribu Pantat of Zarraga, Iloilo. Pantat is the Ilonggo term for hito or catfish and being part of the main produce of the town, it was highlighted to the (gastronomic) delight of the crowd.

Here is the list of winners in major and minor awards for Dinagyang Festival 2011

Ati-ati Competition

CHAMPION: Tribu Pan-ay (Fort San Pedro National High School)
1st runner up: Tribu Paghidaet (Lapaz National High School)
2nd runner up:Tribu Bola Bola (Iloilo National High School)
3rd runner up: Tribu Salognon (Jaro National High School)
4th runner up: Tribu Manduryaw (Mandurriao National High School)

Best in Costume: Tribu Paghidaet
Best in Music: Tribu Salognon
Best in Headress: Tribu Paghidaet
Best in Discipline: Tribu Bola Bola
Best in Choreography: Tribu Pan-ay
Best in Performance: Tribu Pan-ay
Best in Streetdance: Tribu Paghidaet

Tribu Pan-ay's superb performance was adjudged as Dinagyang 2011's best!
Courtesy of Youtube/impresario

Kasadyahan Fesitval

CHAMPION: Pantat Festival of Zarraga Ilolo
1st runner up: Kasag Festival of Banate Iloilo
2nd runner up: Binanog Festival of Lambunao
3rd runner up: Pagdihon Festival of Dingle
4th runner up: Tinuom Festival of Cabatuan iloilo

Best in Performance: Tribu Kasag (Banate, Iloilo)
Best in Costume: Tribu Binanog (Lambunao, Iloilo)
Best in Choreography: Tribu Pantat (Zarraga, Iloilo)
Best in Music: Tribu Tultugan (Maasin, Iloilo)

Iloilo City celebrates Dinagyang Festival 2011 and it's already a sure winner. From the festive sights and sounds to numerous activities that includes those of gastronomic proportions, shopping here and there and all day and night parties - Iloilo City is the place to be this January 21-23. But to make you visit a lot more hassle free so that you won't spend your time asking for directions, getting lost in a small city or just wandering around thinking of what to do, here's a quick guide of where to go, what to do, what's in, what's hot and almost everything about Dinagyang 2011. Check the schedule here.

Check out the bigger picture here.

As this article promises "No lousy tribe in Dinagyang 2011", it surely will raise hopes and standards as well in the performances. So it will be a "15-way" fight among these tribes namely Tribus Aninipay, Angola, Atub-atub, Bantu, Bola-bola, Himal-us, Ilonganon, Manduryaw, Milagrosa, Molave, Pag-asa, Paghidaet, Pan-ay, Salognon, and Silak.

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