“Viva Vigan!”

 

Festivals, of several sorts, work both to fulfill specific needs and to provide entertainment. For religious, social, or geographical classes, these periods of celebration give a sense of belonging. Modern festivals based on cultural or ethnic subjects aim to remind members of their culture or tradition. In previous times, festivals were times when the elderly discussed stories and passed to the next generation some knowledge. Cultural feasts have also offered a way for families to meet and for people to find friends. To celebrate previous significant events, select anniversaries have annual festivals.

The Philippines has so many festivals, these festivals celebrating moments in history that defined identity, polity and locality. The Philippines has over 42,000 festivals annually celebrated. These festivals are times when and where people gather, the same occasions when funds become generous for government units and the private sector. Fiestas are significant avenues for artistic participation. Since artistic projects, especially in the Philippine countryside, often want artistic engagement in venues and avenues, it is in these convergences that the artists find their audience. Most local Philippines festivities are religious or cultural with many festivals honoring the local Catholic saint or historical periods of time in the Philippines. Today we are facing the Covid-19 pandemic and there are protocols we need to follow. How can we celebrate festivals during this pandemic?

In the province of Ilocos Sur, many festivals are also celebrated yearly one of these festivals is the Longganisa Festival which is celebrated during the 25^th day of the month of January. This festival is celebrated in honoring the patron saint of Vigan City, St. Paul the Apostle. The locals in this municipality prepare for this occasion to entertain locals and tourist. You will witness traditional street dancing, local foods and products, and carnivals. However, we couldn’t actually celebrate how we used to celebrate this occasion due to the pandemic we are facing today. Since we need to avoid contact with people, government officials decided to celebrate this festival virtually to avoid social contact. Festivals may be risky nowadays but people still find solutions in order to enjoy and celebrate this event safe and at home.