PISTA’Y DAYAT - Thanksgiving for bountiful harvest and abundant fishing
January 4, 2009 by admin
Filed under April Festivals, Pangasinan Festival
PISTA’Y DAYAT
The Festival
A thanksgiving festival in honor of the bountiful harvest and abundant fishing, Pista’y Dayat is a sea festival celebrated annually on the 20th of April to the 1st day of May at the historic Lingayen Beach in the town of Lingayen in Pangasinan. Thousands of tourists are drawn to the Coastal City to join the event. It is considered the biggest annual tourism, trade, and cultural event, in Pangasinan, Philippines.
One of the highlights of the Pista’y Dayat is the Grand Parade of Pangasinan Festivals in this two weeks of merriment. The grand parade features the cultural heritage of the province and showcase nine well-known Pangasinan’s festivals namely the Galicayo Festival of Manaoag, Pandan Festival of Mapandan, Alaminos Longganisa Festival, Binmaley Sugpo Festival, Mango and Bamboo Festival of San Carlos City, Calasiao Puto Festival, Binongey Festival of Anda, Labrador’s Sawali Festival, and the grandest of all, Lingayen’s Pista’y Dayat.
“Celebration of the festival is filled with music, and social and cultural relevance. One can truly enjoy being a part of the festival for Pangasinenses, young and old alike, are basically music lovers and dance enthusiasts”, the chairman of the festival said.
The Scoop
Events of Pista’y Dayat
Lined up spectacular events during Pista’y Dayat are the Konsyerto sa Gulpo, San Miguel Beer’s Battle of the Bands and Dance Revolution, Grand Orchestra Showdown and Dance Sportfest, Takayan na Dayew ed Kapitolyo or the Solo Vocal Competition, Zarzuela Tan Turbaan and Say Dayat Tan Musika concert.
Pangasinan’s Governor claims that the event is a reawakening of people of Pangasinan’s consciousness regarding music, dances, arts, and culture of the province, and hopes that through the festival, camaraderie and unity between Pangasinenses, and concern for the cultural heritage of Pangasinan and its environment strenghtens.
The Konsyerto sa Gulpo is a concert of environmental concern, which is an opportunity for young bands to express advocacy campaign for the environment againt global degragation through their music.
The Grand Orchestra Showdown and Dance Sportfest, the first of its kind, are outdoor performances and held simultaneously. Pansasayawan, Panturugtugan, on the other hand, is a music and dance event also held during the festival, showcases the best orchestras in the province through a competiton, and on the 24th of April, is the competition for the best ballroom dancers.
Kansyunan Diad Gilig na Dayat, or Solo Vocal Competition, is a search for aspiring people of strong passion for music, and Zarzuela Tan Turbaan is a event from everyone to showcase the rich culture of the province specifically pertaining to traditional courtship.
Other events are the Panangidayaw Trade, Tourism, Food and Garden Fairs, Ating Yaman Photo Contest and Artscape, Tianggehan sa Pista’y Dayat, Limgas na Dayat Beauty Contest, amateur boxing bouts, Magpalipad Tayo Kite-Flying Competition, Capitolio Gimik, Ipahayag sa Layag Boat Painting Competition, Palaro sa Lahi (concert and variety show), Buhay sa Buhangin (sand sculpting competition), street dancing, colorful float parade of province’s best products and delicacies, and a fluvial parade.
