 |
“Sinulog Festival” is the grandest cultural & religious street dancing held in Cebu City every 3rd Sunday of January in celebration of the fiesta of the divine child “Senior Sto. Nino”. Millions of diverse people around the world will converge on the street to experience the Sinulog fever and witness the colorful, amazing performances of tribes, the wonderful parade of floats & giants, and to have a glimpse of various celebrities who will join the parade.
Sinulog means a graceful dance. Basically, the festival is a dance ritual in which it tells the story of the Filipino’s pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity. The beat of the dance represent “sulog” means current of river.
The highlight of the festival is the Sinulog Grand Parade or some call it Sinulog Mardi Gras which is considered in Asia as the “Mother of all Festivals”. Contingent are not only local people from Cebu but also tribes from other town and other provinces around the Philippines who has their own Sinulog festival too and bring their piece to Cebu Sinulog Festival. In fact, some foreign contingents are also joining the parade as guest tribes offering their dances to the child Jesus and to show their culture to the Filipino people.
Sinulog Grand Parade start as early as 8:00 AM with a holy mass held at the Cebu City Sport Complex (previously Sto. Nino Cathedral) and the dance parade will kick off afterwards at the Plaza Independencia. Contingent must dance to the beat of Sinulog at all time along 1.4Km long highway tof Gen. Maxilom & Pres. Osmena Blvd.
In between 12 NN to 1 PM, an hour break will be observe and everyone take time to rest altogether and take their lunch. Audience also take this opportunity for a photo opt with contingents. The parade then resume at 1 PM and end at 5 PM. The parade will end at the Cebu City Sport Complex where contingents will have to showcase their grand finale choreography in order to win the grand prizes.
The cost of joining the contest is actually bigger than the prizes. This prizes is actually is just a bonus to the winner. After all, the sacrifices that they make are an offering to the divine child Sr. Sto. Nino or the child Jesus. Rain or shine, the Sinulog dances will never cease.
However, the Sinulog Street Dancing is just the beginning of the celebration. At the end of the contest showdown, the parties all over Cebu will just begin, when all people of walks converge on streets dancing like the entire city is a disco dance floor and establishments specially bar's and shop provide the sound bites withour limit. Artist performing all over the streets showcasing their talents. And most of all, beer's and wines, are unlimited.
Back to Back big concerts on the same day at different venue but on the same city still full pack and everyone is seems alright. 😎😎😎😎
