Caught in the Crowd: My First Sinulog Festival Experience

I was casually watching YouTube when a random video about the preparations for this year’s Sinulog Festival popped up. It instantly reminded me that it’s been a year since I experienced Sinulog for the first time and I still haven’t shared it here. This has been sitting in my drafts for a year now hahaha so it’s finally time to let it out.

Last year, Gabbie and I decided to go to Cebu for the first time and, at the same time, experience the Sinulog Festival.

Even though it was my first time, the memories are still so vivid. I can clearly remember how festive, lively, and overwhelming in a good way everything was. I genuinely enjoyed it as a first-timer!

Sinulog Festival

Sinulog is one of the most famous and grandest festivals in the Philippines. The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano term sulog which means like the movement of water currents. This describes the forward-and-backward steps of the Sinulog dance, symbolizing the gentle flow of a river.

The festival is celebrated every third Sunday of January in honor of the Santo Niño. It is said that the image of the Santo Niño was gifted to Rajah Humabon of Cebu by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, marking the introduction of Christianity in the Philippines.

According to tradition, when Queen Juana, Rajah Humabon’s wife, received the Santo Niño, she danced joyfully while holding it. That moment eventually inspired the Sinulog dance that we see and celebrate up to this day.

Sinulog isn’t just a religious celebration, it’s deeply cultural as well, and we felt that throughout the entire festival.

The Religious Side of Sinulog

Despite being known for its grand parades and street parties, Sinulog has a strong religious core. We really wanted to experience both the religious and cultural sides of the festival even though I’m no longer a Catholic (I used to be) and I still found the experience meaningful.

The night before the festival, @ybanezkim26 had a sleepover at Clara’s place where we're staying, so we were already complete since we planned to head out early to attend the novena mass.

We woke up around 4:00 AM, wearing the Sinulog shirts we bought at SM Cebu on our first day. We skipped breakfast because we assumed there would be food stalls near the church and our main goal was to get there as early as possible.

Booking a Grab or taxi was stressful since no drivers were confirming. Perhaps because some roads were already closed. Time was ticking and Clara, Kim, and Gabbie were already considering riding motorcycles to get there faster. They were hesitant because of me. I don't like riding motorcycles although I've tried riding several times before. If I have other transportation options, riding a motorcycle will always be my last choice.

Since we were running out of time, I finally told them I’d go for it if we really couldn’t book a Grab. And just when we started looking for motorcycles... my Grab app got a driver! Hahaha! The universe really didn’t want me riding a motorcycle that day.

We arrived early but already accepted the fact that we might not be able to enter the church immediately because of the crowd. So we decided to grab breakfast first from the nearby stalls.

We ended up buying rice and lechon and found a seat close to the stall. Lechon for breakfast felt a bit odd 😁 but I'm not complaining! Cebu lechon really hits different.

Clara and Kim kept sharing little Cebu food trivia, and I swear, they’re the best tour guides ever! I couldn’t stop saying “Ang sarap!” / "It tastes good!" because it really is! They even told us there were better lechon spots around, which I honestly couldn’t comprehend at the time because the one we had already tasted amazing!

After breakfast, we headed to the church. As expected, it was packed and there's barely any space to move.

I really appreciated how Kim and Clara kept checking on me because it was easy to get separated in such a huge crowd. Gabbie stayed by my side the entire time, and good thing we came prepared with water and handheld fans.

Even though we were outside, we were still able to attend and witness the mass. Seeing the devotion of the people to the Santo Niño felt surreal. I got goosebumps multiple times, especially when everyone sang together and raised their Santo Niño. At some point, I even found myself memorizing the songs.

Despite the heat, exhaustion, and overwhelming crowd, people stayed motivated because they were there to honor their patron. That faith was something I truly admired and I’m grateful I got to witness and experience it.

After the first mass, we were finally able to enter the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu. I was in awe of how big it was and how many people were still inside, waiting for the next mass. We took a few photos and eventually stepped out since we had already attended the earlier one.

There’s also a Fluvial Parade, which we didn’t get to see this time. It happens very early in the morning and requires tickets in advance. Since our Sinulog trip was pretty spontaneous, we didn’t plan for it but it’s definitely something we want to include next time. The fluvial parade reenacts the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines and takes place at sea.

The Cultural Side of Sinulog

Outside the church, we saw stalls selling Sinulog headdresses. Since we wanted the full experience, we bought some.

The Grand Parade is the main cultural highlight of Sinulog. It usually starts late in the morning but people line up as early as they can to secure a good spot.

After the mass, we headed to Sebu Cha Cafe, where Clara’s brother and sister-in-law were managing their business. It was a perfect stop for refreshments and an even better place to watch the parade since it'd pass right in front of their store. They even reserved a front table for us so we could rest while waiting for the parade to start.

Although we could already see some performers warming up, we found out that the groups near the store were among the last to perform.

We decided to walk closer to where the parade actually started to catch more performances and floats.

Along the way, we spotted a big flower backdrop and thought it would be a nice photo spot. Clara called me over, and we took a quick picture together.

Eventually, we found a really good spot. Front row! It was great, but also exhausting, especially since some people kept trying to squeeze into our space. Good thing Clara and Kim knew how to guard our spot.

I remember holding onto the rope just to make sure no one pushed us out. Some people probably thought we’d give up easily but nope, not with Clara and Kim around 😁

We were lucky enough to catch these performances and floats front row. Hope you enjoy them!

some of the higantes

Higantes are oversized and eye-catching figures made to symbolize something. In Sinulog, they’re often inspired by Cebuano traditions or the festival itself.

some of the performances

We really get so excited whenever a new group stops in front of us to perform!

We were already walking toward the end of the parade by this time. It was more crowded in this area, but I’m glad I still got to take photos! It was sooo cool when some of the performers noticed and smiled at me while I was taking pictures.

some of the floats

The floats, higantes, and performances were all sooooo impressive! I can’t imagine the time and effort they put into making everything this good.

Wrapping Up the Day

We decided to head back around 4:30 PM, even though the parade wasn’t over yet. We knew it would be extremely hard to get home once everything ended, and we also wanted to rest before watching the fireworks later that night.

Walking back was intense!! It was so crowded that there were moments when I wasn’t even walking anymore, just being carried by the flow of people. Looking back, it’s funny but at the time, it was a bit scary. Still, I guess that’s all part of the Sinulog experience.

We stopped by a stall selling bananacue and turon, grabbed some drinks, and called that our snack for the day. We were all exhausted!

Once we got home, we rested, showered, and took quick naps. Clara bought dinner while Kim rested more. Later on, Clara, Gabbie, and I headed out to watch the fireworks while Kim stayed behind to rest.

We went to SM Seaside Cebu early to secure a good spot and thankfully, we did. The fireworks were absolutely worth it! What a perfect way to end our Sinulog day.

After that, we visited a nearby coffee shop but that’s a story for another time!

My First Sinulog Experience

Looking back, what stayed with me wasn’t just the parade or the fireworks, but the feeling of being part of something bigger than myself. The festival itself. The religious side. The cultural side. Walking with the crowd before sunrise. Standing still while everything moved around me. Feeling out of place... then slowly feeling like I belonged.

Overall, my first Sinulog experience was unforgettable! The Sinulog fever is truly contagious! Even when we were already back in Manila, it felt like the celebration hadn’t fully ended. The festive energy stayed with us. I’d definitely do it again, not this year though since I had other plans but next time, I’d plan better, stay longer, and explore more activities!

I’m really grateful to @indayclara and @ybanezkim26 for guiding us around Cebu and making everything feel easier and more comfortable! Without them, the experience wouldn’t have felt the same.

Tips for First-Time Sinulog-Goers

• Plan ahead. Activities and schedules are usually posted as early as December if I'm not mistaken.
• Book accommodations early, especially if you want a place near key locations.
• Secure tickets in advance for activities like the Fluvial Parade.
• Wear comfortable clothes and footwear. You’ll be walking a lot!
• Bring water, snacks, and a fan to survive the heat and crowd.
• Don't forget to bring powerbank/s too!

If you’re thinking of experiencing Sinulog for the first time, go for it! It’s exhausting, overwhelming, and chaotic… but also beautiful, meaningful, and totally worth it!