Sinulog Festival 2017

The Sinulog Festival is one of the grandest, most distinguished and most colorful festivals in the Philippines. 

The major 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 fundamentally a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people's pagan past and their recognition ofChristianity.

The festival features some the country's most colorful displays of ceremony and pageantry: participants clothe in bright-colored costumes dance to the rhythm of drums and native gongs. The streets are generally lined with vendors and pedestrians all wanting to witness the street-dancing. Smaller versions of the festival are also held in different 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.

The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which roughly means "like water current movement;" it describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized into Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation, and street dancing. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by songs in the native language.

Sinulog is the ritual prayer-dance honoring Señor Santo Niño or the Child Jesus. An image of the Child Jesus is said to be the baptismal gift the Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan gave Hara Amihan (Humanay) of Zebu (now Cebu) in April 1521. The image, believed to be miraculous, is housed at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in downtown Cebu City.

The Sinulog dance moves are basically two steps forward and one step backward as the dancer sways to a distinct rhythm of drums. This movement resembles the current (Sulog) of what was known as Cebu’s Pahina River.

The cultural event has been commercialized as a tourist attraction and instead of traditional street-dancing from locals, Sinulog also came to mean a contest highlighting groups from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is traditionally held in the Cebu City Sports Complex, where most of Cebu's major provincial events are held.

SINULOG FESTIVAL 2017 Schedule of Activities 

January 5, 2017 (Thursday) — Opening Salvo: Walk with Jesus

4:00 A.M. Assembly Time (Area) Fuente Osmeña

4:30 A.M. Start of Walk-Fuente Osmeña Blvd. – Basilica del Sto. Niño

5:30 A.M. Installation of Hermano & Hermana Mayores 2017

January 6, 2017 (Friday) Sinulog 2017 Kick Off

10:00A.M. : Sinulog Trade Fair @ SM City Cebu by Department of Trade and Industry

2:00 P.M. : Solemn Mass (Basilica del Santo Niño)

3:00 P.M. Launching Parade (Basilica Del Santo Niño to CCSC)

5:30 P.M. Novena mass

7:00 P.M. Opening and Launching Program, Fuente Osmeña

January 7, 2017 (Saturday) Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan

1:00 P.M. Parade of Participants (Capitol to CCSC)

2:00 P.M. Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan at CCSC

5:30 P.M. Novena mass

7:00 P.M. Ms. Cebu 2017 Pre Pageant Night @ Ayala Activity Center

10:00 P.M. Concert @ the Fuente Osmeña, Party Bands

January 8, 2017 (Sunday) Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan

3:00 A.M. : Cebu City 2017 Marathon

1:00 P.M. : Parade of Participants, Plaza Independencia to Cebu City Sports Center

2:00 P.M. : Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan @ Cebu City Sports Center5:30 P.M. : Novena Mass

9:00 P.M. : Concert @ the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

January 9, 2017 (Monday)

5:30 P.M. : Novena Mass

9:00 P.M. : Concert @ the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

January 10, 2017 (Tuesday)

5:30 P.M. : Novena Mass

9:00 P.M. : Concert @ the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

January 11, 2017 (Wednesday)

9:00 A.M. : Airport Welcome (Balikbayan Flights)5:30 P.M. : Novena Mass

7:00 P.M. : Ms. Cebu 2017 Coronation Night @ Waterfront Hotel Cebu City

8:00 P.M. : Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña)

9:00 P.M. : Concert @ the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

January 12, 2017 (Thursday)

9:00 A.M. : Airport Welcome (Balikbayan Flights)

6:00 P.M. : Balik Cebu Welcome Party @ Ayala Activity Center

6:30 P.M. : Sinulog Festival Queen Runway Competition and Photoshoot

8:00 P.M. : Handumanan @ Ayala Terraces

8:00 P.M. : Sinulog 2016 Idol Grand Finals @ the Fuente Osmeña

9:00 P.M. : Concert @ the Fuente Osmeña, Street Party Bands

January 13, 2017 (Friday) Visual Merchandising Contest (Dept. Stores and Malls)

4:00 A.M. : Walk with Mary (Area) Fuente Osmeña – Sto. Niño

9:00 A.M. : Solidarity Meeting (All Competing Contingent/Floats/Higante/Puppeteers)

@ Cebu City Sports Center Gym

6:00 P.M. : Sinulog 2016 Dance Crew Finals @ Cebu City Sports Center

7:30 P.M. : Sinulog Festival Queen 2016 Coronation Night @ Cebu City Sports Center

8:00 P.M. : Cebu Popular Music Festival @ Cebu Coliseum

January 14, 2017 (Saturday)

6:00 A.M. : Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous Image of the Sto. Niño

9:00 A.M. : Re-enactment of the Baptism of Queen Juana and Rajah Humabon Basilica del Santo Niño

12:00 P.M. : 12th “The Street Vibration & Big Bike Rally 2017” by V-max Owner’s Group, Inc. Cebu Chapter

2:00 P.M. : Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño

7:00 P.M. : Sinulog Fireworks Competition @ SM City Cebu

7:00 P.M. : Street Party @ Fuente Osmeña and Plaza Independencia

January 15, 2017 (Sunday) – Sinulog Grand Parade

4:00 A.M. : Mañanita Mass at Basilica del Sto. Niño

6:00 A.M. : Pontifical Mass

8:00 A.M. : Holy Mass at Cebu City Sports Center

9:00 A.M. : Sinulog Grand Parade Carousel Kick Off

7:00 P.M. : Grand Finale and Grand Fireworks at CCSC

9:00 P.M. : Pyrospectacular Show (Pyromusical Show at SM City Cebu)

5:00 P.M. – 2:00 A.M. : Sinulog DJ Mixing Grand Finals Night at Fuente Osmeña Circle

12:00 MN : Sinulog Fireworks at SRP (South Road Properties)

January 16, 2017 (Monday) : Awarding Ceremonies @ Cebu City Sports Center

January 20, 2017 (Friday) “HUBO”

January 31, 2017 (Tuesday) : Judging Sinulog 2017 Photo Contest

February 1, 2017 (Wednesday) : Judging of Finalist in Short Film / Video Documentary and Music Video Contest

2017 SINULOG STREETDANCING PARADE ROUTE

Cebu Sinulog Grand Parade will start 9AM. From Imus Road to Gen. Maxilom Ave to Fuente Osmeña Circle, Osmeña Blvd and ends up at Cebu City Sports Center for the Ritual presentation.

Source: sinulog.ph

February 4, 2017

1:00 P.M. : Screening of Finalists Sinulog Short Film Festival @ SM City Cebu

6:00 P.M. : Awarding Ceremonies Photo Contest, Short Film and Video Documentary Contest @ SM City Cebu

February 4, 2017 – February 13, 2017 : Photo Exhibit “Winning Photos Sinulog 2017″ @ SM City Cebu