Sinulog Festival 2023: Everything You Need to Know

The Sinulog Festival is the biggest festival in the Philippines, attracting millions of spectators every year. After a two-year absence since the pandemic, the Sinulog Festival 2023 is finally happening and there’s so much you can expect.

If you don’t know yet, the Sinulog Festival celebrates Santo Niño de Cebu (Child Jesus of Cebu), a statue of baby Jesus that Portuguese-born Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan gave to the Rajah Humabon, King of Cebu, in 1521. This event marks the introduction of Catholicism to Filipinos. For others who don’t observe Catholicism, the Sinulog Festival is still an eventful celebration where people get to enjoy street parties, live bands, concerts, funfairs, and other mini-events.

The Sinulog Festival 2023 Grand Parade is one of the best things to do in Cebu City, a major highlight local and foreign tourists can enjoy. This competition includes big groups of performers clad in extravagant, colorful costumes and props. Here’s what you can expect from the Sinulog Festival 2023:

What is the travel date of the Sinulog Festival 2023?

The Sinulog Festival happens every third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Philippines. In 2023, the Sinulog Festival falls on January 15. The Grand Parade (a moving street dancing competition) and Grand Ritual Showdown (a group dancing competition on stage) will also happen on the same day. Both events typically run for about 12 hours, even longer, as 21 contingents from all over the country compete in a dance competition for different categories this year.

If you want to enjoy the Sinulog festivities, we highly recommend arriving in Cebu City 2 to 3 days before January 15.

Where is the Sinulog Festival 2023 being held?

The Sinulog Festival 2023 Grand Parade starts at the Basilica Minore Del Santo Niño church on Sunday, January 15 at 8 a.m. and takes the major thoroughfares in downtown Cebu City, mainly along Mango Avenue (officially known as General Maxilom Avenue), Fuente Osmeña Circle, Jones Avenue, and Osmeña Boulevard. It also includes competitions for the best floats, Higante (which means ‘giant’ in the local language), and Puppeteers.

The Sinulog Festival 2023 Grand Ritual Showdown will take place at the South Road Properties (SRP) Grounds. Since SRP is pretty new, do note that it will be extra hot here as there are no full-grown trees yet. There will be tents around where you can buy a variety of local delicacies, souvenir items, and more.

Other activities will be held at Plaza Independencia, Fuente Osmeña, and Cebu City Sports Center.

Sinulog Festival 2023 Schedule of Activities

Here’s the official schedule of activities for the Sinulog Festival 2023:

Stay tuned for updates!

Fully Booked Hotels

The Sinulog Festival 2023 is expected to attract 2 million spectators, mostly from Cebu Province and all over the country. As previous years have proven, hotels and other types of accommodation will most likely be fully booked on the day of the festival. If you still need to book your stay in Cebu, now is the best time to do so.

Signal Shutdown

In the Philippines, it’s pretty common for mobile networks to be temporarily shut down for huge events like this within the area of activities to strengthen security protocols. Take note that phone calls and text messages will not come through around this time in the area.

The city government, however, has made a request to police authorities to exclude internet connectivity to allow them to livestream the events online. However, we doubt if that’s feasible, considering threat actors can still operate in the presence of the internet.

Scarce Public Transportation

Public transportation in Metro Cebu can be a hit-and-miss on a regular day, especially during peak hours. On the day of the Sinulog Festival, expect old and modern jeepneys to be packed to the brim. Even taxis/cabs will not be enough to accommodate the surge of tourists.

Even if taxis are vacant, expect drivers to ask where you are headed and put a high price on your trip before taking you along. These drivers won’t likely take you if your drop-off point is too far, too near, or nearby closed roads.

Additional 60 modern jeepneys will start to operate in Metro Cebu in January. However, I doubt this is enough to accommodate tourists and commuting locals.

One-day Liquor Ban

The city government will also be implementing a one-day liquor ban on January 15. Expect convenience stores, grocery stores, bars, and restaurants to follow this.

That’s it for now. We will be updating this post from time to time. Stay tuned!