Sinulog Festival 2013

Sinulog Festival 

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest and most colorful festival in the Philippines with a very rich history. The main festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu (since in the Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is essentially a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people’s pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity.

The festival features some of  the country’s most colorful displays of pomp and pageantry participants garbed in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums, trumpets, and native gongs. The streets are usually lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing. Smaller versions of the festival are also held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Niño. There is also a Sinulog sa Kabataan, which is performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the Grand Parade.

We were able to squeeze our way to the upper level during the sinulog mass at Basilica de Sto Nino

Sinulog participants dressed in colorful costumes

Festival Queen holding a Sto. Nino as she dances to the rhythm 

How to get there:

Mactan International Airport is also the main hub of domestic flights outside Metro Manila. Budget leading carrier Cebu Pacific flies from Manila, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Caticlan, Tacloban, Zamboanga, General Santos, Surigao, Dumauete, Pagadian, Dipolog, Bacolod, Ozamis, Cagayan de oro, Legaspi and Puerto Princesa. 

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines flies from Manila, Clark, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Caticlan, Tacloban, Zamboanga, General Santos, Surigao, Dumauete, Pagadian, Dipolog, Bacolod, Ozamis, Cagayan de oro, Legaspi and Puerto Princesa as well.

When: 3rd Sunday of January

Where: Cebu City, Philippines