With the upcoming Ati-Atihan Festival scheduled to open on Monday, January 15, in Kalibo, Aklan, the Boracay version of the celebration begins today, January 13, with a parade around Balabag Plaza.

Kabataan night will also take place tonight; with the festival highlight, Sadsad, a dance parade along the beach, scheduled for Sunday.

The Boracay event has been running for five years.

Meanwhile, the formal event is set to run from January 15 to 21, with festivities opening with a parade of floats and tribes at Pastrana Park at 1:00 p.m. and the Ati-Atihan Festival King pageant scheduled for 7:00 p.m. that evening at Magsaysay Park.

Both venues are also serving as hosts to food festivals, scheduled to run throughout the entirety of the festival./PLL, WDJ