By Dionesis Canonigo, Anchor, Brigada News FM Toledo
Celebrated every June in honor of the city’s patron saint, San Juan de Sahagun, the Hinulawan Festival in Toledo City, Cebu, is a cultural and religious celebration commemorating the city’s history and heritage.
The celebration coincided with the annual city fiesta and Independence Day.
This is the main festival in the two festivals of the locality, the other one is the Sinulog sa Toledo celebrated every last January every year.
It is named after the Hinulawan River, a significant landmark in the area’s past. The festival typically features street dancing, float parades, cultural presentations, and religious events, showcasing local traditions and music.
The festival’s name, Hinulawan, comes from a contraction of the words “hinaguang bulawan” (hin and ulawan).
“Hinulawan” historically refers to the original settlement in the Daanglungsod area of Toledo City.
The festival is a time for the community to come together and showcase their traditions, music, and dances.
It showcase the fusion of cultural dances depicting the colorful past and present starting from the Pintados, Pre-spanish, Spanish, Rural, Neo-ethnic to the modern time. It highlights the four golden features of the city: Golden Harvest, Golden Friendship, Golden Treasure and Golden Faith.
The festival also highlights the output of the ingenuity of Toledanos taking into consideration the facts handed unto this generation. After almost 50 years, the city focuses for an indelible identity that will be etched for the next generation to appreciate and sustain.
Last 2024, the celebration lasted 12 days from June 1 to June 12, which also showcased sports and artistry of every Toledonhon that highlighted sports events and cultural activities.
It included fifteen (15) sports events, such as muscle showdown, taekwondo, pickleball, softball, pistol shooting, dancesport, bangkarera, dayon-dayon volleyball, football, airsoft, chess, off-road 4×4, enduro cross, lawn tennis, and boxing, where participants demonstrated high skills in decision-making, accuracy, speed, and techniques.
The events were participated by neighboring municipalities and cities, such as Cebu City, Bacolod City, Carcar City, and more.
Furthermore, as Toledo City’s branding, Joyful City, shows, everyone joyfully celebrates and enjoys fiesta activities, including senior citizens and PWDs.
The Hinulawan Festival, likely has a positive impact on the mental health of residents and visitors. The vibrant cultural and religious celebrations, including street dancing, parades, and religious events, can offer a sense of community, joy, and belonging, potentially reducing stress and anxiety.
It significantly impacts local jobs by boosting tourism and highlighting local crafts, thus creating opportunities for various sectors. The festival generates revenue for businesses catering to tourists, such as restaurants, hotels, and souvenir shops. Additionally, the festival provides opportunities for local artists to showcase their crafts and sell them, contributing to their income.
The Hinulawan Festival from Toledo City participated in Pasigarbo sa Sugbo grand ritual showdown for the past years, 2nd place in 2022, 3rd place in 2023 and 9th place last year.
Come, celebrate, enjoy the festivities of the city for free!!!!
