Plaza Independencia is actually one of the largest and most well-known nature parks here in Cebu. It's a popular spot where students, couples, and families gather during their free time. Recently, the park has also been used for spreading the Sinulog spirit and hosting a night market during the Sinulog month.
For those who don't know what Sinulog is, it is a lively and vibrant celebration in Cebu City, Philippines, dedicated to the Santo Niño (Child Jesus). It takes place every third Sunday of January and features a big street parade with colorful costumes, folk dances, and a procession of the Santo Niño image. The festival draws both devotees and tourists by combining religious and cultural elements.
I had seen what the food bazaar looked like in the social media, but I really wanted to see the fair in person. Due to hectic schedules and a heavy workload at the university, I experienced a delay in my visit, even though the plaza is just a few blocks away. It was Thursday when I finally got the chance to go, just a few days ahead of the Sinulog Festival scheduled for this coming Sunday. And, I was accompanied by mom that night.
It was around 8 p.m. when my mom and I arrived there. The entrances and exits of the plaza were staffed with uniformed personnel to ensure the security of the area. More and more people arrived later on, mostly coming from Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, as it is just a short walk away.
As we walked around, we couldn't help but notice this huge inflatable display of San Miguel beer. It kind of looked like a real beer, but a gigantic one. It reminded of the giant puppets from years ago during Sinulog. However, I think this inflatable display of San Miguel was even bigger.
There were booths as well, perfect for picture taking.
We explored the place to see more booths, stalls, and other displays.
I recently learned about a battle of the bands that has been taking place at Plaza Independencia. Each night, a different band has been performing since they started the nightly entertainment there. I witnessed the Auctioned band performing that night. They did an outstanding performance and we enjoyed the diverse range of songs they offered- Cebuano, Tagalog, and English songs. We stood with the crowd for a while, singing along and soaking in the music vibe.
Just behind where we were standing , there were a few food stalls and Sinulog shirt stalls. Basically, the center and right part of the plaza were filled with booths and stalls.
What I had for dinner was the Chao fan with siomai from Chowking. I was puzzled by the 15-minute wait because it seemed unusually long for a Chao fan. Nevertheless, I decided to just go with it. It turned out they had a little game: a picture memory matching activity. My mom wanted me to get the umbrella prize; however, even though I matched all the pictures before it ran out of time, the phone they provided for me to play the game was lagging, so they only gave me the option to choose between a foldable fan and a bag tag. I then chose the foldable fan.
I also opted to buy a drink. I ordered a medium-sized premium strawberry shake float.
While waiting for my strawberry shake float, I couldn't help but scan the food bazaar area; and it was really jam-packed. Most of the food they offered there were street food, like barbecue and seafood grill. Lechon, takoyaki, coffee, and tea were also offered there.
This is what my strawberry shake float looked like.
I also returned to the Chowking stall to claim and eat my dinner. Since the seats in the bazaar area were quite crowded, we decided to sit near the main entrance where there were available seats.
While eating and sharing a drink with my mom, we enjoyed the music and watched people passed by.
I think it was the only time when I witnessed the plaza really filled with people. Despite Cebu having a large population, seeing the plaza crowded just felt so different.
When we exited the plaza, we noticed street seller offering balloons with lights. Although I really wanted one, we decided not to buy it. Seeing them in person was enough for me.
There were henna artists just outside the plaza. Many people get temporary tattoos during Sinulog month. I wanted to have one on my arm, but realized that it's not allowed in our university. So, I simply enjoyed looking at the tattoo designs.
It was almost 11 p.m. when we decided to call it a night and go home.
The "Kalingawan sa Plaza" (Fair at Plaza Independencia), radiated the festive Sinulog atmosphere, which I believe everybody, including myself, felt and enjoyed. Although, the fair only runs until the day of the Sinulog festival on January 21, and I had only brief period to experience it, the memories will still be cherished. I had a great time, and I hope for more fun times ahead.
Thanks for reading along, sweeties. I hope you have a great day or night wherever you may be. Viva Pit Senyor and Happy Sinulog!