LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Sen. Imee Marcos are among those expected to grace the “Tan-ok ni Ilokano: Festival of Festivals” (The Greatness of the Ilocano), a celebration of Ilocos Norte’s unique history, heritage, and culture, on Thursday, Feb. 23, at the newly refurbished Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium here.
The festival which returns after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic is the highlight of the 205th foundation anniversary of Ilocos Norte.
The Communications and Media Office (CMO) of Ilocos Norte said 10,000 seats were booked in three hours after the online ticketing system was launched on Monday, Feb. 20.
Tan-ok was first organized in 2011 by then Gov. Imee Marcos as part of the campaign to revive cultural pride and Ilocano identity by focusing on narrative-driven presentations produced by local creatives.
The festival was last staged in 2019.
In December 2020, the "Tan-ok ni Ilocano Film Festival" was launched to continue celebrating the province’s cultural heritage amid pandemic restrictions. It has since become a part of the program for Ilocos Norte’s foundation anniversary.
With 21 towns and two cities depicting faith and religious festivals, colonization and revolt, courtship and love stories, folklore and legends, livelihood and industries, and even current events, the Tan-ok ni Ilokano: Festival of Festivals has been drawing tourists, national officials, visitors from neighboring provinces, celebrity guests, and art and culture enthusiasts. A record high of more than 60,000 individuals attended the most recent staging.