A Sinulog 2026 guide for entertainment events

CEBU, Philippines — While natural disasters may have caught Cebu off guard last year, it won’t stop the ever-celebrating city from holding its annual Sinulog festivities, as various celebrities are set to visit the Queen City of the South this month.

 - Staples -

Sinulog isn’t complete without the usual homegrown events that have become staples of the weeklong celebrations.

The 17th season of the singing competition Sinulog Idol kicks off tonight, January 9, and will run until the Jan. 15 finals, 7 p.m. at the Fuente Osmeña Circle. Twelve singers will compete to be the next Sinulog Idol, succeeding last year’s winner, Zal Cabanas from Santander.

The songwriting contest Cebu Popular Music Festival continues with its 43rd edition on Jan. 16 at the gymnasium of the University of the Visayas-Main Campus, featuring 12 entries. Half will compete in the Young Songwriters category, while the other half will vie in the traditional Love Song category.

Candidates will also set their sights on succeeding last year’s Sinulog Festival Queen Sofi Maxim Grenmo of Lapu-Lapu City. A preliminary runway competition will be held on Jan. 14 at SM Seaside City, followed by the coronation night on Jan. 16 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

 - Kapamilya, Kapuso stars -

Another Sinulog tradition is the influx of celebrities visiting Cebu.

BingoPlus and Digi will bring a mix of stars to SM Seaside for their Sinulog Festival Mall Show from Jan. 9 to 11, featuring Kapuso talents Andrea Torres, Arra San Agustin, and Roxie Smith; Kapamilya actor Seth Fedelin; Tony Labrusca; Viva artist Lance Carr; and Cebuano artists Yad Robal Jayme, Cookie$, and Kurt Fick.

"Batang Quiapo" star Coco Martin is also slated to appear in a mall show courtesy of Toyota at SM City Cebu on Jan. 17. Fast food chain KFC is likewise bringing fan-favorite housemate Emilio Daez of “Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition” to SM Seaside Cebu on Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. He will also participate in the grand parade on Jan. 18.

Paulo Avelino, Gab Valenciano, and Dominic Roque are set to participate in the grand parade on Jan. 18, courtesy of motorcycle company Wheeltek Nationwide.

SM Seaside announced that other ABS-CBN stars will appear at the Sinulog Kapamilya Caravan mall show on Jan. 17, though the names have yet to be confirmed as of press time.

Kapuso stars Jillian Ward, David Licauco, and Kim De Leon will promote their upcoming GMA action series “Never Say Die” on Jan. 18 at SM City Cebu.

 - Concerts, music festivals -

Sinulog will also be packed with concerts across Cebu, which kicked off with Cebuano singer-songwriter Shoti who performed yesterday, January 8, for mattress brand Uratex at IT Park.

“Tawag ng Tanghalan” finalist Gigi De Lana will headline a free concert at The Terraces at Ayala Center Cebu on Jan. 16 at 5 p.m.

Jan. 17 will be a night for rock as Bamboo performs at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, with homegrown band Cueshé as special guest. Tickets are available for purchase through Veent Tix’s website, with prices ranging from P1,000 for balcony seats to P6,500 for VIP standing.

Cebuano rock band Missing Filemon will headline the ninth edition of “Rakrakan nga Halad sa Alberto’s Pizza alang kang Señor Sto. Niño,” a free event running from 1 p.m. to midnight at Parkmall Mandaue, with other artists including Yano, Deanery, HappyDays, Girl Monday, Yo Emperado, Abyss, Winston Lee, and more.

For those who want to catch multiple artists in one go, several music festivals are also part of the Sinulog celebrations.

AirAsia will hold its “Love Concert for a Cause” on Jan. 16, 3 p.m. at the SM Seaside Concert Grounds, headlined by Parokya ni Edgar, Sponge Cola, Rob Deniel, and Earl Agustin. Admission is free, though pre-registration is required and will also serve as a raffle entry.

The sold-out three-day music festival Lyve Fest will take place at Axis, Vibo Place, from Jan. 16 to 18, featuring performers including Cookie$, No Pets Allowed, Midnasty, Justraw, Yeki, Zoya, Felhony, Mistah Lefty, DJ Lit, Polky Yu, Orange Juice Asia, and more.

- Drag queens sa Sugbo -

Some of the biggest names in Philippine drag will also visit Cebu.

After drawing a strong crowd last year, “Drag Den” Season 2 queens Moi Taura, Deja, Mrs. Tan, and Cebu’s Maria Lava will once again headline “Dragdagulan Na sa Sinulog 2026” tomorrow, Jan. 10 at From Here, Crossroads. Early registration tickets are priced at P299 via Angat Cebu BPO’s Facebook page, with walk-in tickets available for P349.

Meanwhile, “Drag Race Philippines” alumni Arizona Brandy, Hana Beshie, and Khianna will headline “SLAYNULOG 2026” on Jan. 17 at Onyx Superclub Cebu. Limited tickets are available for P1,800 for general admission and P2,000 for walk-ins, with an additional P800 for a meet-and-greet. Tickets can be purchased by messaging The House of Brent’s Instagram account (@thehouseofbrent) or via 0962 054 4381.

For fans of Cebu drag, the finale of the second season of “Wosh Ka Et” will take place on Jan. 11 at Eulax Pub, located at the Ezone Commercial Complex in Cebu City, with a door rate of P150.

- Clubbing -

Turning up is another Sinulog tradition, with clubs across Cebu City set to be packed.

The party spans three nights at Cebu ICON Club, where DJs Jimmy Nocon, Marinong DJ, Only Camz, Phillip Japor, Chelle Ibañez, Sofia Miguel, Skye Gonzaga, and Margaux Luela will deliver energetic beats from Jan. 16 to 18.

At Onyx Superclub, Quezon City-based DJ Lovezy will appear on Jan. 15, while DJ Ron Poe takes over the booth on Jan. 17.

- Post-Sinulog -

The Sinulog fever continues even after the grand parade on Jan. 18, with major concerts lined up for the rest of the month.

Christian gospel and worship acts Israel Houghton and New Breed will perform at the IC3 Convention Center on Jan. 19, a day after their sold-out show at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Tickets, priced from P900 to P5,400, are available through SM Tickets and Eventsize.

Kapamilya singer Jed Madela will headline his own show at NUSTAR’s Spotlight Sessions on Jan.  24 at the luxury resort’s Axis Entertainment and Sports Bar, exclusively for NUSTAR Rewards members.

Capping off the month-long music celebrations is Australian soft rock duo Air Supply, returning to Cebu on Jan. 27 for their 50th anniversary tour at Waterfront Lahug. Tickets, ranging from P3,500 to P14,000, are available through SM Tickets and SISTIC.