Vigan City Fiesta

 

     Every year on January 25th, the Vigan City Fiesta is celebrated. It is commemorated on the feast day of St. Paul the Apostle's conversion. The patron saint of Vigan City is St. Paul. Before his conversion, St. Paul was known as Saul, a fervent persecutor of Christians. His name was changed to Paul when he was struck by a personal experience with Jesus Christ on his route to Damascus, and he braved a lot of hardships and danger to bring the message of God to far-flung locations.

     The Metropolitan Cathedral, which is the heart of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, is Vigan's primary cathedral and is dedicated to St. Paul. The St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur, a notable Catholic educational institution in Vigan that is next to the cathedral, is also dedicated to the patron. The Vigan City Fiesta is normally held over a period of many days. It involves the celebration of Vigan's cityhood anniversary, which takes place on the 27th of January each year.

     Biguenos come from all over the nation and even the world to celebrate their fiesta in Vigan, since it is the habit of Filipinos to return to their hometown to celebrate with their family and friends. Thousands of people from other regions of the Philippines and other nations join them in enjoying the local government's cultural events, parades, and street dances, all of which are supported by local businesses and communities. A traveling carnival, as well as food fairs, arts and crafts exhibitions, and a food fair, are all on the agenda.

     Participation in the many sports and events, notably the street dance competition, is also sent to participants from the several adjacent provinces in the northern area. Because of the involvement of neighboring municipalities, the Vigan City Fiesta is not just a local event attended by Vigan authorities but also a national event attended by other local public officials and national politicians. The Longganisa Festival is also held during the Vigan City Fiesta Days. The city holds a longganisa parade and once sought to achieve a world record for the longest longganisa. Because Vigan longganisa, a Filipino variant of Mexican salami, has a particular garlicky flavor that has become a favorite of the Filipino palate, the event has become a crowd-pleaser. Other companies have tried to imitate the flavor of Vigan longganisa, but they have failed miserably. This is due to the fact that the production of Vigan longganisa is a centuries-old local custom, with Vigan being the source of all, if not all, of the components used in the national sausage. Garlic and sugarcane vinegar from Vigan are reported to have a stronger taste. After a Vigan City Fiesta, it's a nice souvenir to take home.