Intayon Sadiay Vigan, Ilocos Sur!

January 29, 2024

Intayon Sadiay Vigan, Ilocos Sur!

Vigan, a UNESCO World Heritage City in the Philippines, is known for its historic charm with well-preserved Spanish colonial buildings and cobblestone streets. Each year, the city hosts the Longganisa Festival, celebrating the local delicacy, longganisa, a type of Filipino sausage. This lively event showcases the various flavors and types of longganisa made in the region. This festival brings people together for street parade, cooking contests, cultural performances, talent shows, and various competitions. The festival reflects Vigan's rich culinary traditions and cultural heritage in a festive atmosphere that welcomes both locals and visitors. During our one week semester break, I joined the celebration. Get ready as I unravel the festivities of the Longganisa Festival.

First and foremost, I witnessed the marching band showdown competition. Three schools including ISNHS, VNHSE, and VNHSW, competed to win the champion title. Their lively and breathtaking performances brought me joy. The sound of the drums and lyres and how majorettes, twirlers, and color guards were able to march and dance in unison are what made the different school marching bands' performances memorable. These marching band performances not only demonstrate the students' musical abilities but also promote school spirit and unity, making them a memorable part of any event or competition. Fortunately, our school, ISNHS, brought home the crown. And I am happy to be part of our school's marching band. The members and mentors' talents, efforts and patience helped us with this achievement. Congratulations, ISNHS marching band for our very first victory! May the following years' marching band be as successful or even more successful as this year's.

Up next, the festival dance competition. Schools participate in the festival to present their dance performances, which provide a vibrant and energetic showcase of talents. Every school showcases their own choreography, with students dressed in costumes that represents Vigan's cultural traditions. Through the use of traditional movements, the dances often incorporate elements of local history or folklore. As various school groups take turns, the stage comes alive with a variety of movements and rhythms, creating a joyful atmosphere. These performances celebrate the rich cultural diversity that unites the community in joyous celebration while also showing the students' commitment and talent. San Nicolas National High School attained victory as they showcased their lively and breathtaking performance. Congratulations! Also congratulations to Sanggalaw for showing an amazing performance. Your hard work and talent are greatly appreciated. I hope that next year's competition be in our favor.

One of my favorite part of the Longganisa Festival is the carnival. It contains a colorful array of amusement rides, games, and attractions. It also contains food stalls offering a wide range of foods such as tusok-tusok, empanada, sisig, goto, mami, cotton candy, popcorn, and many more. The carnival includes rides such as, ferris wheel, frisbee, carousel, and my worst nemesis, the viking. I discovered that, despite my enjoyment of the cheerful atmosphere that truly made my inner child happy, I have a severe fear of intense rides. Additionally, games of skill and chance, such as ring toss and shooting galleries, offer opportunities for participants to win prizes. Despite the pricey entrance fee and tickets, the carnival was a fun experience. The overall ambiance of a carnival is one of joy and excitement, making it a popular and cherished form of entertainment during the Longganisa Festival.

Lastly, the Vigan Food Festival. Located between Plaza Burgos and the Vigan Cathedral, it offers food stalls that contain diverse range of food. From foods like sisig, mami, pizza, takoyaki, empanada, korean street foods, tusok-tusok, to refreshments like milk tea, milkshakes, fruit juices, and many more are found along the food stalls. It was an honor for me to experience such appetizing dishes. It is a good destination after a tiring day of watching the different entertainments of Longganisa Festival. Cheers to the Vigan Food Festival for satisfying the locals and visitors' cravings!

My week at Vigan's Longganisa Festival was an unforgettable experience that perfectly combined lively festivities with the city's rich cultural heritage. While the festival dance competition demonstrated the varied talents and dedication of the participating schools, the marching band competition gave my school a sense of pride and accomplishment. Despite my fear of intense rides, the carnival provided a fun atmosphere with bright attractions and delicious food. Last but not least, the Vigan Food Festival offered a delightful food adventure, satisfying cravings with a wide variety of local and foreign dishes. In addition to honoring the city's past and culinary customs, the Longganisa Festival promoted a feeling of togetherness and joy among residents and guests.