Before the drums, the gowns and the crowns, there was dance rooted in devotion.
The Search for the Sinulog Festival Queen draws inspiration from early accounts tied to the Sto. Niño, including stories surrounding Hara Humamay, later baptized as Queen Juana, who is believed to have danced in joy upon receiving the image of the Holy Child in 1521.
According to historians consulted by the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI), this act of movement and thanksgiving helped shape what would later become Sinulog.
Over the years, the festival queen competition has evolved into a visual retelling of faith and history, interpreted through costume, choreography and performance. Each January, Cebu watches as modern-day festival queens take the stage, embodying not only beauty but also cultural memory.
Here is a look back at the Sinulog Festival Queens of the past six years: