Cebu hosts the biggest party of 2016
MANILA, Philippines – Millions of tourists are flocking to Cebu this week to be part of a centuries-old tradition known as “The Biggest Fiesta in the Country” – Sinulog.
Thousands of costumed performers dance in the streets during the kickoff parade. Thanksgiving masses are held for the faithful devotees of Señor Sto. Niño. The mouth-watering smell of the world-famous lechon de Cebu oozes from street fairs everywhere. Beautiful women compete for a crown. Add to that a marathon, film and photo exhibits, concerts and fireworks galore – without a doubt, Cebuanos know how to party, and the yearly Sinulog Festival is proof of it!
The fun has begun, and it’s about to get even better. Tomorrow, the phenomenal DJ Steve Angello will be flying in straight from LA to perform live in a two-hour set during the launch of the Plus63 Music Festival at the Cebu International Convention Center grounds. The festival is set to begin at 3 p.m. and end at 3 a.m.
In an interesting coincidence, it was exactly three years ago when Swedish House Mafia rocked Manila during their One Last Tour on Jan. 16, 2013, transforming the MOA Arena into one awesome big club party as they performed their greatest hits such as “Don’t You Worry Child” and “Save the World Tonight.” However, Steve Angello wasn’t on stage with Axwell and Ingrosso then, as he got sick the night before. This time, however, fans of the former SHM member will be thrilled with Angello’s first performance on Philippine soil, and he’s bringing in his production team who are all geared up to take the music, and the festival, to a whole new level.
Plus63 Festival is the brainchild of Peter Delantar, founder of Cebu-based Vinyl Entertainment. Having been to music festivals around the world, Delantar wanted to bringing that kind of experience to the Philippines. “I was fortunate enough to experience first hand what it was like to be at music festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Electric Daisy Carnival and Life Is Beautiful. And having been able to work for tours like the Vans Warped Tour, Bamboozle Left and Rockstar Taste of Chaos, I was able to learn the ins and outs of the live music industry. So my team and I thought of bringing a similar experience to the Philippines, while giving it a local twist,” he said.
On top of having the legendary Steve Angello and a great lineup of world-class local bands and acts, Plus63 Festival will also have a massive art installation from the Cebu Arts District showcasing the talents of Cebu’s local art scene. “There are more than 15 artists working on our art installation called The Cebu Wonder Rainforest. The structure will be made of bamboo and upcycled and recycled material. We encourage festival goers to get lost in the Wonder Rainforest – we have surprises inside the structure for those who choose to explore,” said Delantar.
Joeris Claeys, co-founder of the Cebu Arts District, shares that they took inspiration from festivals abroad, but added the Cebuano touch. “Cebuanos are known for their creativity with the arts and we wanted to showcase this as one big art installation for everyone to see,” says Claeys. “The festival is a good outlet for Cebuanos to promote what it can offer to the world, and we are very honored to be part of it.”
And there’s more. On the culinary front, Charmaine de Leon, who is in charge of Plus63 Festival’s Food District, said Cebuanos have so much more to offer to the international community than just the famous and delicious lechon. “We will be showcasing local and international cuisines, made by Cebu’s current and future restaurateurs,” she said. “I would recommend festival goers try lechon by Rica’s Delichons, the unique flavored puso (hanging rice, updated with adobo and sinigang flavors) by student entrepreneurs, and Tahotally-Taho’s modern twist on our favorite taho, with flavors like mango graham, coffee, chocolate and their Sinulog special, lychee.”
Equally tempting are the 21 different flavors of chicken wings (inspired by countries around the world) from 21 Dubs, and delectable thin crust pizzas with unique flavors like “Chorizza” from Pizza Lab. And don’t miss Kitskitchenn’s pastas and gluten-free desserts, especially their best-selling wheat- and dairy-free brownies.
For sure, Plus63 Festival is everything that a Filipino festival should be: great music and dancing, inspiring art and delicious good food. What else can festival goers ask for?
“We want the Plus63 Festival to develop its own identity based on how the crowd responds. From the fashion to the hashtags, to the food selection, musical acts and artists, we want our guests to customize their own amazing experience. We envision Plus63 Festival to become a multi-day, multi-stage and multi-cultural festival with a plethora of musical acts to suit everyone’s taste,” said Delantar.
Experience Sinulog in a whole new and exciting way by joining the Plus63 Music Festival tomorrow!
Tickets available at SMtickets.com or www.bit.ly/plus63festival.
