| Ati-Atihan Festival | |
|---|---|
 An Ati-Atihan participant | |
| Official name | Kalibo Santo Niño—Ati-Atihan Festival |
| Also called | Ati-Atihan |
| Observed by | Kalibo, Aklan |
| Liturgical color | White and Gold |
| Type | Religious / Cultural |
| Date | Third Sunday in January |
| 2023 date | January 15 |
| 2024 date | January 21 |
| 2025 date | January 19 |
| 2026 date | January 18 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First time | 1212 |
The Kalibo Santo Niño—Ati-Atihan Festival,[1] also simply called Ati-Atihan Festival, is a Philippine festival held annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño (Holy Child or Infant Jesus) in several towns of the province of Aklan, Panay Island. The biggest celebration is held during the third Sunday of January in the town of Kalibo, the province's capital. The name Ati-Atihan means "to imitate the Ati people".[2]
The festival consists of religious processions and street-parades, showcasing themed floats, dancing groups wearing colorful costumes, marching bands, and people sporting face and body paints. The street parade is known as Sadsad, which is also what the locals call their way of dancing where the foot is momentarily dragged along the ground in tune to the beat played by the marching bands.
Being believed to be the oldest festival in the Philippines and having inspired other popular Philippine festivals such as Dinagyang of Iloilo and Sinulog of Cebu, it is thus known as the "Mother of All Philippine Festivals."[3]
- ^ "Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-atihan Festival 2023 | The Official Website of the Municipality of Kalibo". Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ "ATI – ATIHAN FESTIVAL". Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).
- ^ Garcia, Patrick (January 13, 2019). "The Ati-Atihan: Of Devotion and Free-Flowing Drinks in Kalibo". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 24, 2020.