ILIGAN City ― The month-long city fiesta and Tourism Month will have its opening salvo on September 1, Thursday.

Cathy Tan, chair of the Fiesta Executive Committee told reporters over the weekend that on that day, there will be a Holy Mass at the St. Michael Cathedral at 1:00 in the afternoon. Then there will be fireworks at the Esplanade site at Barangay Santiago, this city.

The “Pagpakanaug” is set on September 20 which is also observed as a local public holiday.

This day is a big deal for the people of this city as St. Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of this city is taken down from his perch on the altar at the St. Michael Cathedral and then he is leading a procession in the nearby city streets with people hailing him. But before the said procession, his garbs, as well as his spear and his shield will be received with such pomp and ceremony by selected local dignitaries here.

In earlier years, it was the mayor, vice mayor, the congressman, and the police chief who did the honors in a gesture of “unity.”

The “Kasadya Street Dancing” will be held on the 27th even as the “Miss Iligan” will also be crowned on the evening of the same date.

There is also the “Mugna” where entrepreneurs will show their wares to the public at the anticipated KCC mall site at Barangay Tibanga.

There will be a “Sinulog,” which some also term as “Yawa-yawa” as this is some sort of reenactment of St. Michael’s triumph over the devil Lucifer in a “celestial” battle which signifies the triumph of the good over evil.

As in earlier years, this will be done some morning before the fiesta instead of in the afternoon, to avoid “drunk” participants.

On the 28th and 29, these will really be fiesta days and almost everybody is welcome to most of the homes there as a gesture of thanksgiving for the year, and in this case, for the so challenging years battling Covid 19 wherein the fiesta during those times were just marked without fanfare.

There will be celebrities from Viva Productions in Manila who will come and grace the celebrations on the 28th, Tan said even as she pointed out that these events are coordinated with the local church officials here.

On October 4, the image of St. Michael will be returned to his place on the altar of St. Michael after “joining” the people here.