The following is a list of some of the fun-filled events that you can look forward to during the Sinulog season.
The Walk with Jesus dawn procession will be held on January 7, 2016. This solemn activity is typically attended by thousands of devotees. It starts at the Fuente Osmeña Circle and ends at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.
A mini-Sinulog parade will be held on January 8 and participated by contingents from schools and universities around Cebu. The participating contingents perform along Osmeña Boulevard during the event, which culminates at the Cebu City Sports Center.
On January 9, students from different Cebu provincial schools will participate in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan. The event will see the students showing off their dancing skills in a street-dancing competition held along Osmeña Boulevard. The winners of the event will join the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 17.
A day after students from Cebu provincial schools perform in a street dance competition, students from different schools from Cebu City will have the chance to show their talents in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan. It will be a street-dancing competition where the winners will join the Sinulog Grand Parade on the third week of January.
Miss Cebu is the longest running beauty pageant in Cebu. It was originally organized to promote Cebu as a feasible alternative tourist destination in 1984. It produced numerous national and international beauty queens and world-class models. Since Cebuanos are known for their intelligence, the Miss Cebu pageant puts brains before beauty. The Miss Cebu Coronation Night will be held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel on January 13.
On January 14, the lead dancers of the different Sinulog Grand Parade contingents will compete for the title of Sinulog Festival Queen. The event is a runway competition and photo-shoot that will be held at the SM City Cebu.
The coronation of the Sinulog Festival Queen will be held at the Cebu City Sports Center on January 14. The event is a ritual and dance competition of the lead dancers of the different Sinulog Grand Parade contingents.
On January 15, the Cebu Pop Music Festival will be held at the Cebu Coliseum. The event is a songwriting competition among amateur and professional songwriters. The songs are performed by the best and up-and-coming singing talents from Cebu.
A day before the solemn procession, the Fluvial Procession will see the image of the Santo Niño brought from Mandaue City to Cebu City on board a beautifully-decorated “galleon.” The image is escorted by a flotilla of boats of various sizes as it is brought back to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. This year, the Fluvial Procession will be held on the wee hours of the morning of January 16.
On the afternoon of the same day as the Fluvial Parade, the image of the Santo Niño is taken around the major streets of Cebu for the annual Solemn Procession. This religious event is attended by millions of pilgrims and devotees of the Santo Niño who join together to honor the Holy Child.
On the feast day of Senor Santo Niño de Cebu, an early morning mass will be held at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. After the Mañanita Mass, a Pontifical Mass will be celebrated by the Archbishop of Cebu, His Eminence Jose S. Palma.
The Sinulog Grand Parade is the most-awaited event during the Sinulog. The event is brings together different dancing contingents from all over the country. Aside from the competition, a number of the participants consider their participation as a form of thanksgiving for the blessings they received in the past. The grand parade will follow a carousel route around the major streets of the City of Cebu. It starts and ends at the Cebu City Sports Center.