The Paraw Regatta Festival is an annual maritime festival held in Iloilo City, Philippines, and is widely recognized as Asia’s oldest traditional sailing event. The festival's centerpiece is a race of paraws, traditional Visayan double-outrigger sailboats powered entirely by wind. It takes place every February along the waters of the Iloilo Strait, between Iloilo and Guimaras Island.

The festival was first organized in 1973 by local sailing enthusiasts and cultural advocates who wanted to preserve the paraw, a centuries-old vessel that had long served as a means of transportation, fishing, and trade throughout the Visayas. At a time when motorized boats were replacing traditional sailing craft, the regatta was created to protect this important element of Filipino maritime heritage.

What makes the event especially distinctive is the sight of dozens of brightly colored paraws racing across the strait. Many boats feature artistically painted sails, transforming the race into a moving display of art and culture. The main race typically covers about 30 kilometers, testing sailors' skills against changing winds and currents.

Over the decades, the Paraw Regatta has grown from a simple half-day sailing competition into a multi-day cultural festival. In addition to the regatta itself, visitors can enjoy sail-painting contests, cultural performances, music and dance events, food festivals, sporting competitions, and various celebrations highlighting the traditions of the Ilonggo people.

Today, the Paraw Regatta Festival is considered not only the oldest traditional sailing event in Asia but also the largest sailing event in the Philippines, attracting competitors, artists, tourists, and cultural enthusiasts from across the country and beyond. It remains one of Iloilo's most important cultural and tourism events, celebrating more than five decades of maritime tradition.

According to the Internet