Parkmall, every Cebuano and Cebuano-at-heart’s favorite shopping and dining destination, joins the Sinulog Festival frenzy with Sugbo Fest. True to its being the best place for dining and celebrations in Cebu, Parkmall’s Sugbo Fest has everything covered from a Food Festival called Kumbira, the highlight of which is the Lechon Festival from Jan. 15 to 17 featuring actual pig roasting and lechon making, a plethora of exhibits including the St. Joseph and Sto. Nino Exhibit from Jan. 23-30, and lively entertainment extravaganzas from Jan. 14 to 31.
Sugbo Fest’s entertainment package includes Aerodance Tribal Beat Sinulog Party, a Sinulog-inspired Aerodance party organized by Parkmall Aerodance instructor Jo Teria, Festival Queen Sinulog Parade, a two-hour parade of festival queens in Lyndon Alfonso’s festival gowns, a Dance Jam Marathon organized by Cebu’s best Dance Jam instructors and the musical treat Tukar Sugbo.
Most anticipated is Tukar Sugbo happening on Jan. 16 which promises to be a night of pure non-stop Bisrock music. Some of Bisrock’s brightest names, iconic and new, will delight audiences of all ages with rock and alternative musical pieces in the Sugbuano language. What can be more Cebuano than that?
Popular Cebuano rock groups like Phylum, Agipo, and more will bring the house down with songs that talk about social and political issues and yet brim with humor and romance. It will make listeners realize how much Bisrock has developed and persisted through the years. Bisrock or Bisaya Rock is a movement that started in the ‘80s and suffered a flatline in the early ‘90s. A subgenre of Pinoy rock propagated by the Cebu rock music industry, Bisrock had to fight its way through setbacks such as the fact that some local radio stations still favored Cebuano artists singing in Tagalog and English over true-blue Bisrock performers.
Like Parkmall itself, which had to prove its worth from its origins as a retail industry investment in what used to be a reclamation area in Mandaue City, Cebu, Bisrock persevered and worked its way to be heard. The efforts have paid off with the resurgence of Bisrock that has led to the creation of clans of supporters from every part of Cebu and the proliferation of online chat channels and websites championing the cause of Bisrock.
Two of Bisrock’s foremost proponents are Phylum, an all-male alternative band whose “Palagot sa Kontra” is a perennial favorite among Bisrock aficionados and Agipo whose “Tamsi” was an instant hit. Phylum and Agipo will join a strong roster of Bisrock talents that will add color, fun, and a festive air to Parkmall’s specially-prepared Sinugbo celebration.
At Parkmall, celebrations like the yearly Sinulog-Santo Nino Festival become more than just a mere cultural and religious pageantry. With its commitment to championing homegrown talents and offering unique, well-thought out surprises, Parkmall’s Sugbo Fest becomes a magical, memorable, and truly irresistible chance to connect with friends, family, and loved ones while enjoying surefire dining, shopping, musical, culturally and historically resonant pleasures.
