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Cebu celebrates more than 50 festivals a year across its cities and towns. The biggest are the Sinulog Festival in Cebu City on the third Sunday of January (January 17, 2027), Kadaugan sa Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City every April 27, Gabii sa Kabilin, a night of open museums usually held on the last Friday of May, and Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, the province’s “festival of festivals” held every August. Holy Week, Chinese New Year and the Christmas season bring more celebrations, and almost every town has its own festival during the year.
Cebu festival calendar
| When | Festival | Where | What it celebrates |
|---|---|---|---|
| January (3rd Sunday) | Sinulog and Fiesta Señor | Cebu City | The Santo Niño; Cebu’s biggest festival |
| January 15 | Panuhug Festival | Santa Fe, Bantayan Island | Santo Niño and shell-craft heritage |
| January 17 | Kumbira Festival | Compostela | Street dancing and barangay showdown |
| January 20 | Tuba Festival | Borbon | St. Sebastian and local palm wine |
| January (3rd Friday) | Panagbagat Festival | Poro, Camotes Islands | Santo Niño de Poro and the unity of island tribes |
| January (4th Sunday) | Sinulog sa Carmen | Carmen | A smaller town Sinulog |
| January or February | Chinese New Year | Cebu City | Lunar New Year with dragon dances and lanterns |
| February 6 | Sarok Festival | Consolacion | Town festival and street dancing |
| February 24 | Cebu City Charter Day | Cebu City | The city’s founding as a chartered city |
| March or April | Holy Week | Province-wide; famous in Bantayan | Processions and Easter rites |
| April 27 | Kadaugan sa Mactan | Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan | Lapu-Lapu’s 1521 victory at the Battle of Mactan |
| May (usually last Friday) | Gabii sa Kabilin | Cebu City and nearby | A night of open museums and heritage sites |
| August | Pasigarbo sa Sugbo | Cebu City (provincial showcase) | Cebu Province’s founding anniversary; festival of festivals |
| October 12 | Bonga Festival | Sibonga | Fruit harvest and thanksgiving |
| December | Pasko sa Sugbo and Christmas season | Province-wide | Christmas lights, Simbang Gabi and parades |
Town festival dates come from the Cebu Provincial Tourism Office. Dates can shift slightly each year, especially when a fixed date falls on a weekday, so confirm before you travel.
Cebu’s major festivals
Sinulog Festival and Fiesta Señor
Cebu City · JanuaryCebu’s biggest celebration honors the Santo Niño, the image of the Child Jesus given to Cebu’s rulers in 1521. Fiesta Señor runs as a nine-day novena of Masses at the Basílica Minore del Santo Niño, followed by a fluvial procession on the Saturday and the Grand Parade of street dancers on the third Sunday of January. In 2027, the main Sinulog day falls on January 17.
Full guide: schedule, parade route and tips in our Sinulog Festival 2027 guide.
Kadaugan sa Mactan
Lapu-Lapu City · April 27Kadaugan means “victory.” Every April 27, Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island commemorates the 1521 Battle of Mactan, when the local chieftain Lapu-Lapu and his warriors defeated the forces of Ferdinand Magellan. The highlight is a reenactment of the battle on the shore near the Lapu-Lapu Shrine at the Mactan Shrine park.
Good to know: Kadaugan happens in Lapu-Lapu City, not Cebu City. Combine it with a beach day on Mactan; see our Mactan Island guide.
Gabii sa Kabilin
Cebu City · MayGabii sa Kabilin, “Night of Heritage,” is usually held on the last Friday of May. For one evening, museums, churches and heritage sites stay open late, and a single ticket covers entry to participating sites plus rides on special shuttles, including jeepneys and horse-drawn tartanillas. It’s the best way to see the city’s history in one night, with cultural performances along the way.
Good to know: buy your ticket ahead and plan a route, since you won’t fit every site into one night. Start with the old downtown, around Fort San Pedro, the Basilica and Magellan’s Cross.
Pasigarbo sa Sugbo
Province-wide · AugustPasigarbo sa Sugbo, “Pride of Cebu,” celebrates the founding anniversary of Cebu Province on August 6, a special non-working holiday in the province. Its main event is a grand showdown where contingents from cities and towns across Cebu perform their local festivals in one place, usually at the Cebu City Sports Complex later in August. Naga City’s Dagitab Festival won in 2024.
Good to know: if you can’t travel to every town, Pasigarbo is the easiest way to see dozens of Cebu festivals in a single day, with smaller crowds than Sinulog.
Holy Week and Easter
Province-wide · March or AprilHoly Week is one of the most important times of the year in Cebu. Bantayan Island is famous for its Holy Week processions, and towns across the province hold Good Friday processions and Easter Sunday sugat rites, the dawn reenactment of the meeting of the risen Christ and Mary. In 2027, Easter Sunday falls on March 28.
Good to know: Bantayan gets very busy during Holy Week, so book ferries and rooms well ahead. See our Bantayan Island guide.
Chinese New Year
Cebu City · January or FebruaryCebu has a large Chinese-Filipino community, and Lunar New Year brings dragon and lion dances, lanterns and celebrations around the Taoist Temple and downtown. Chinese New Year 2027 falls on February 6.
Pasko sa Sugbo and the Christmas season
Province-wide · DecemberFilipinos start celebrating Christmas in September, and Cebu goes all out in December with lighted displays, parades and the nine dawn Masses of Simbang Gabi from December 16. Read more in our guides to Christmas in the Philippines and traditional Christmas food.
Town festivals worth traveling for
Each Cebu town has its own festival, usually tied to its patron saint and its local product. Many of them compete at Pasigarbo sa Sugbo. These are among the best known:
| Festival | Town | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Kabkaban Festival | Carcar City | Heritage and local crafts; 2019 Pasigarbo champion |
| Dagitab Festival | Naga City | Light and energy; 2024 Pasigarbo champion |
| Halad Inasal Festival | Talisay City | The town’s famous grilled lechon and pork |
| La Torta Festival | Argao | Argao’s traditional torta (sponge cake) |
| Siloy Festival | Alcoy | The rare Cebu black shama bird |
| Utanon Festival | Dalaguete | Vegetables from the “Salad Bowl of Cebu” |
| Toslob Festival | Oslob | Oslob’s coastal heritage |
| Kagasangan Festival | Moalboal | Coral reefs and marine life |
| Banig Festival | Badian | Handwoven mats |
| Panuhug Festival | Santa Fe | Shell-craft artistry |
| Palawod Festival | Bantayan | Fishing and life at sea |
| Haladaya Festival | Daanbantayan | Local history and devotion |
| Tuba Festival | Borbon | Tuba, the local coconut palm wine |
| Panagbagat Festival | Poro, Camotes | The unity of the island’s tribes |
For festivals across the whole country, see our guide to Philippine festivals and food festivals in the Philippines.
Plan your Cebu festival trip
Hotels and tours sell out fast around Sinulog and Holy Week. Book early, and add a day trip while you’re in Cebu.
Tips for visiting a Cebu festival
- Book early. Hotels in Cebu City and Mactan fill up weeks or months before Sinulog. See our guide to the best hotels in Cebu.
- Expect road closures and heavy traffic around parade routes. Walk where you can, and plan around the closures. See getting around Cebu City.
- Travel light in big crowds: keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket or a zipped bag, and agree on a meeting point with your group.
- Beat the heat with water, a hat and sunscreen. Parades last for hours under the sun.
- Join in respectfully. Sinulog is a religious festival as well as a party. Shouting “Pit Señor!” is welcome; mocking devotions or blocking processions is not.
- Bring cash for food stalls and small vendors, and expect long lines at ATMs during peak days.
Cebu festivals: FAQ
What is the most famous festival in Cebu?
The Sinulog Festival is Cebu’s most famous festival. It honors the Santo Niño and is held in Cebu City on the third Sunday of January, which is January 17 in 2027.
How many festivals does Cebu have?
Cebu celebrates more than 50 festivals a year. Nearly every city and town in Cebu Province has its own festival, and many of them compete at the provincial Pasigarbo sa Sugbo every August.
When is Kadaugan sa Mactan?
Kadaugan sa Mactan is held every April 27 in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island. It commemorates Lapu-Lapu’s victory over Ferdinand Magellan at the Battle of Mactan in 1521, with a reenactment of the battle.
What is Gabii sa Kabilin?
Gabii sa Kabilin, or “Night of Heritage,” is a yearly event, usually on the last Friday of May, when museums, churches and heritage sites in Cebu stay open at night. One ticket covers entry to participating sites and rides on special shuttles.
What is Pasigarbo sa Sugbo?
Pasigarbo sa Sugbo is Cebu Province’s “festival of festivals,” held every August to celebrate the province’s founding anniversary on August 6. Contingents from towns across Cebu perform their local festivals in a grand showdown.
Is Kadaugan sa Mactan held in Cebu City?
No. Kadaugan sa Mactan is held in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island, about 30 to 45 minutes from Cebu City, near the Lapu-Lapu Shrine.
What is the best time to visit Cebu for festivals?
January is the biggest month, with Sinulog and several town festivals. April and May bring Kadaugan sa Mactan and Gabii sa Kabilin, and August brings Pasigarbo sa Sugbo with smaller crowds than Sinulog.
What does “Pit Señor” mean?
“Pit Señor” is the chant heard during Sinulog. It is short for “Sangpit sa Señor,” meaning “call upon the Lord,” an appeal to the Santo Niño.
Cebu-born travel writer raised between Cebu and Dumaguete, now based in Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao. Gio writes Best Philippines Travel Guide to help first-time visitors travel the islands with confidence.