Ilocos Norte will pay tribute to National Artist Severino Montano by reviving the theater experience for participants and visitors at the upcoming Tan-ok ni Ilocano Festival.

In a statement Tuesday, festival organizers said Montano’s legacy will come alive on Feb. 28 as performers from towns and cities across Ilocos Norte compete in a cultural showdown at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Sports Stadium.

“We honor Montano’s vision of theater without boundaries just as we bring Tan-ok ni Ilocano to the community,” the organizers said.

Born in Laoag in 1915, Montano organized the Arena Theater in 1953 and was named National Artist for Theater in April 2001 via Proclamation No. 34.

Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos said this year’s festival will showcase the province’s creative talents, focusing on costume, props, movement, character, and story sequence.

Over the years, the Tan-ok Festival has grown into Ilocos Norte’s largest cultural event, drawing audiences from Northern Luzon and beyond. It highlights Ilocano resilience, unites communities, and preserves the province’s rich cultural heritage on one stage.

Guests from Metro Manila and the diplomatic corps are expected at the Feb. 28 event. (PNA)