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Sarrat is an agricultural town, located 485 km north of Manila. The
main source of livelihood of farmers are rice, tobacco and garlic. The
town houses a tomato paste industry owned by the Northern Food
Corporation.

Sarrat is known as the birth place of the former President, Ferdinand
Marcos. And their ancestral home located at the town proper is one of
the tourist attractions of the town.

The Santa Monica Parish Church or otherwise called Sarrat church was
declared as an Important Cultural Property of the Philippines in 2009.
It is the largest church in Ilocos Norte and one of the most visited
tourist attraction in the province.

The Santa Monica Parish Museum was established in 1993. And it serves
as a repository of artifacts and memorabilia that dates back in 1779,
during the construction of the church edifice.

Other attraction in town are the nipa hut cottages along the banks of
the Padsan river. They are available during summer for picnics and
swimming.


The most awaited festivity of the town is the Rit-ritemon Cayong
Festival, which stands for liberty, unity, courage, leadership and
brotherhood. It is celebrated from April 29th to May 7th. There are a
lot of activities which includes floral parade, beauty pageant and
concerts. But the main event happens on May 5th wherein the whole town
celebrates by preparing a sumptuous lunch for friends, relatives and
visitors.


Visit Sarrat and join the town in celebrating their festival.

For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

The coastal town of Currimao celebrates Dinaklisan Festival on the
last week of April til the first of May. Dinaklisan is an Iloko word
means caught with a fish net. The festival showcases the traditional
livelihood of the locals which is fishing.

This annual event is a thanksgiving celebration of the residents and
fishermen with the bountiful harvest and safe voyage.

The highlight of the celebration is the Fluvial Parade held on May
1st. This is a tribute and thanksgiving to the town's patron saint,
Nuestra Senora de la Paz or Our Lady of Peace and Safe Voyage.

Other activities are held which includes grilling of fresh seafood.


Visit the beach of Currimao and join the next Dinaklisan Festival, try
to experience their Fluvial Parade.


For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

Gameng is an Iloco word which means treasure. And the treasure of
Ilocanos are showcased during the Gameng Festival which is held in
Solsona, Ilocos Norte on the last week of January. The celebration
lasts for four to five days.

A series of activities which includes Elementary Day and Secondary Day
includes playground demonstration featuring folk dances.

Another important events are the Community Day and the Balikbayan Day.
And the highlight for these events is the coronation of the Ms.
Balikbayan.

There is as well an event for the youth which is the SK Night. During
this event a beauty pageant is held for young girls aged 14-16.

And the most important event is the street pageantry. A folk or ethnic
dance is presented by the different Barangays. And floats are paraded
around the town carrying the treasures of Ilocos. The floats or
carriages are decorated with indigenous materials. The treasures
carried are the fresh farm harvest of the town.

The simple town of Solsona celebrates this festival by cooking fresh
harvests from the rivers and the mountains.

Celebrate with the town on their next festival and have a taste of
their fresh harvest.

For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

Ani Festival is the most anticipated event in the town of Dingras. It
is a thanksgiving celebration of the local farmers for the bountiful
harvest within the year.

Dingras is the rice granary of Ilocos Norte. Farmers cultivate other
agricultural products such as garlic, corn, coffee, banana and
vegetables. According to the Augustinian friars during the Spanish
Era, Dingras has the most fertile and most productive soil in the
province.

Ani Festival is celebrated on the last week of March and is a week
long celebration. The festivities start with a thanksgiving mass which
they call Dingras Night or Bless Dingras Night. The highlight of the
event is the dance parade that features ethnic dances and colorful
costumes.

Other programs include agro-industrial fair, beauty pageant,
coronation of Ms. Ani, concerts, choir competition, dance competition,
and food fest.

Join Dingras with their festive  celebration of their abundant harvest.

For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

The Empanada Festival is celebrated along with the City Charter Day of
Batac which is every 23rd of June. The festival features the process
of making Empanada which is the most popular product of the City.

Batac Empanada characterizes the locals ingenuity, industry,
resourcefulness and creativity. The Empanada Festival promotes the
agricultural products of the City which is the main source of income
by the people.

The colorful empanada is reflected on how the festivities are
celebrated. Activities on this event are mainly the parade of floats
and the Street Dance Drama Showdown. The Dance Showdown is held in a
kilometer stretch on the City proper. The Ilocano culture and
tradition are expressed on the costumes and dance routines.

Empanada Festival is one big event not just in the City of Batac but
in the province of Ilocos Norte. Join the City in their next
celebration, and taste the goodness of the Empanada and witness the
colourful event.

For your travel assistance in going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to
read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel Up North.

In Paoay, Guling-guling Festival started during the Spanish Regime
where friars introduce this celebration since the 16th Century. The
event is held on Tuesdays, the day before the Ash Wednesday. The
locals believe that it's the last day of merrymaking before the
observance of the Lenten Season.


Guling is an Iloko word which means to mark or to smear. The highlight
of this festival is the marking of the locals forehead with a sign of
the cross, using a mix of water and rice flour, and this is done by
the mayor of the town. The people believe that through this practice,
their sins are forgiven.


The event is further celebrated with Street Pageantry, where the women
use the traditional woven cloth or inabel for their costume. And not
only that, the locals prepare Dudol, which is a native delicacy made
of rice flour and molasses, given free to people who join the
celebration.


Celebrate Guling-guling Festival and witness this centuries old
tradition and a taste of their culture. For your travel assistance in
going to Ilocos Norte, you may want to read our article, Ilocos Norte
:  Travel Up North.

In San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte December is a month of thanksgiving for
all the blessing received for the whole year celebrated through
festivities. The Damili Festival is an annual event and a month long
celebration of dances, parades, concerts, beauty pageant, popularity
contest, agri-industrial trade fair and exhibits, and sports
competition. The highlights of the celebration is held on the last
week of the month.

The main event of the festival is the Dance Pageantry, wherein a
street dance showdown about the traditional occupation of the town,
damili or terra-cotta pottery is portrayed. It's a way of the locals
to pay tribute to this ancient occupation. The need to revive and
preserve damili, inspired this pageantry and encouraged the local
government to further promote the industry.

Banga or clay pot is one of the main product of pottery in town. It is
an icon of Ilocano heritage. Damili has sustained generations of
families.

The Dance Pageantry portrays the different stages of pottery, which
others call as a scientific presentation. From collecting clay soil to
the last step of pottery which is burning the pot. The jingle used is
an Ilocano song entitled, Agdamdamili reflects the locals character of
humility, industry and love for life despite calamity.

All the barangays participate in  the Street Dance. It is a
competition of colorful costumes, inspired by dresses during the old
times. They use props which are part of everyday life, including clay
pot, farming tools, and farming animals.


Join the people in the next Damili Festival and witness a cultural
heritage of the Ilocanos. For your travel assistance in going to
Ilocos Norte, you may want to read our article, Ilocos Norte :  Travel
Up North.