The Sand, Sun, and Sails of Iloilo Paraw Regatta

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Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival celebrates its 44th year Art, Creative, Creativity, Culture, Iloilo, Heritage, Ilonggo, Inspiration, Panay, Philippines, Paraw Regatta Festival, Sand, Sun, Sails, Layag, Race, Paraw

YOU can feel the festive spirit in the air, with hundreds of tourists and Ilonggos flocking to Villa’s long stretch of beach and sand. The sun shines radiantly, children playing happily in the shallow waters, coastguards circling the seashore, boatmen raising their sails the soft breeze making them flutter.

Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival celebrates its 44th year Art, Creative, Creativity, Culture, Iloilo, Heritage, Ilonggo, Inspiration, Panay, Philippines, Paraw Regatta Festival, Sand, Sun, Sails, Layag, Race, Paraw

          The calm sound of waves is broken by the sudden boom of signal flares, and like wings propelled by the wind, one by one the vividly painted Paraws take to the sea, racing across the Iloilo-Guimaras strait.

Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival celebrates its 44th year Art, Creative, Creativity, Culture, Iloilo, Heritage, Ilonggo, Inspiration, Panay, Philippines, Paraw Regatta Festival, Sand, Sun, Sails, Layag, Race, Paraw

          Now on its 44th year, the Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival continues to be largest sailing celebration in the country and the oldest traditional craft event in Asia. With the theme “Maragtas kag Kultura Paagi sa Paraw Regatta,” the festival seeks to highlight the unparalleled seafaring abilities of Ilonggos, as well as the creative resourcefulness of local boatmen.

Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival celebrates its 44th year Art, Creative, Creativity, Culture, Iloilo, Heritage, Ilonggo, Inspiration, Panay, Philippines, Paraw Regatta Festival, Sand, Sun, Sails, Layag, Race, Paraw

        This year marks one of the biggest turn-outs for the festival, with 58 Paraws joining the sailing race across 3 categories, and nearly 190 boatmen involved.
          Paraw Regatta is known for its vibrant layags or sails soaring as high as 15 feet, often colourfully painted with images of rural sea life and depicting the culture and spirit of Iloilo City. 

Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival celebrates its 44th year Art, Creative, Creativity, Culture, Iloilo, Heritage, Ilonggo, Inspiration, Panay, Philippines, Paraw Regatta Festival, Sand, Sun, Sails, Layag, Race, Paraw

          “Ang mga layag ga-symbolize sing unity sang mga Ilonggo,” said Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, during his Opening Speech, noting the sturdiness of Paraw sails against the adverse winds of the ocean.
          Paraws had to race a course of more than 30 kilometers, traversing the coasts of Iloilo and Guimaras before returning back to the finish line in Villa beach, the journey taking more or less an hour and a half to finish.

Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival celebrates its 44th year Art, Creative, Creativity, Culture, Iloilo, Heritage, Ilonggo, Inspiration, Panay, Philippines, Paraw Regatta Festival, Sand, Sun, Sails, Layag, Race, Paraw

        

          First established in 1972, the Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival, has grown from just a hald-day sail racing event. The festivities now include the annual Miss Paraw Regatta pageant, a Pinta Tawo contest, a National Jet Ski Competition, as well as Beach Volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee tournaments.

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