Spooky and chilling are the typical and expected themes for gimmicks in other places during Halloween season, but in the Heritage City of Vigan, it is celebrated with festivity and much quirkiness in their annual Raniag: Twilight Festival which began Tuesday, Oct. 29 welcoming the All Saints’ and All Souls’ days.
“The festival began in 2010 to honor the departed by illuminating their path during visits on Nov. 1 and 2; it is our way of showing them our love despite their physical absence in our world,” said Jo-anne Gutierrez, the senior tourism operations officer of the city.
She also explained that “Raniag” means bright light and is symbolized by the lighting of candles on the tombs of their departed loved ones.
It is celebrated every last week of October until Nov. 2, and has formerly included Candle Floaters and Sky Lantern activities which were halted in respect to the banning of such to protect the environment.
This year, the event ran until Nov. 4 featured several highlights, including a car trunk bazaar which offered a wide range of items, including clothing, shoes, kids’ toys, accessories, and more.
Around 37 booths of small and medium enterprises at Plaza Burgos offered everyone’s classic favorite food such as goto, sushi, burgers, siomai, coffee, fruit juices, and milkshakes.
On Oct. 30, the residents filled up the sidewalks of the Calle Crisologo to watch the event they always anticipate during this time of the year, the Raniag Float Parade.
It seems that it has become part of their tradition to have a festive welcoming of the day of the dead as the residents, from children to the elders, arrived early to secure a good spot to watch the colorful and creative parade of floats by the participating city government departments and non-government organizations.
According to Thelma Fernando, she joined her grandchildren because she looks forward to this float parade annually.
She said this feels as though it has been incorporated in the Bigueño (Vigan residents) culture seeing as it has become a tradition for the people to have a festive spirit in this season.
Fernando said, “It feels great to be able to watch the festival and celebrate; just to see the people having fun feels nice. We look forward to this parade every year.”
In addition to the parade, among the events are the Horror House which has attracted 2,816 visitors as of writing, the Trick or Treat Competition thoroughly enjoyed by children who dressed up and their supportive guardians alike, and the Street Dancing Showdown and Jack-o-Lantern Competition held on the last day of the festival.
This year’s celebration also featured the Raniag Vigan Ghost and Urban Legend Short Film Competition where film entries were based on the Vigan City Urban Legend and Spooky Stories Book launched during the ghost month celebration of the city on Aug. 30.
Remembering the dead does not always have to be with a heavy heart, wrapped in sadness, this city’s Raniag: Twilight Festival is a testament to that with their joyous welcome in remembering the happy memories shared with their precious departed. (MJTAB/ATV, PIA Ilocos Sur)
