If you think that ultimate parties only happen in Manila, think again. In Cebu, one can feel the thrill and excitement as the Queen City of the South anticipates the celebration of the most grand and colorful festival in the Philippines—Sinulog.

  Street dancing at its merriest The annual festival, a pride of Cebuanos—is celebrated every third Sunday of January to honor the Child Jesus, more popularly known as the Santo Niño. The Sinulog boasts of upbeat rhythm and sounds, colorful parades that will truly get any reveler in the groove of things. Behind all these, is a story on where, how and when this annual tradition came about.

The Sinulog was essentially conceptualized as a dance to remember the pagan rituals of the Cebuano’s back in the era of the Spaniards. During those times, the dance was in honor of their wooden idols called “anitos.” However, when Fernando Magallanes crossed Cebu’s shores, he gave an image of the Santo Niño as a baptismal gift to Hara Humanay (wife of Rajah Humabon). Her name was later changed to Queen Juana, in honor of Carlos I’s mother, bearing the same name. The natives and the rulers of the whole island were also baptized and converted to the Christian faith. Upon receiving the image of the Santo Niño, Queen Juana was said to have danced with joy. Upon seeing her so happy, the people danced along with her and so was born the first Sinulog.

Complete story - Sinulog Festival