[PHOTOS] Cebu City's Sinulog Festival 2014

There are a lot of reasons that Cebuanos have to be thankful for. Among those, Cebu suffered only minimal damage from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the neighboring island of Bohol last October 2013. A month after, Yolanda, the super typhoon that devastated the island of Leyte, missed Cebu by just a hair's breadth away.

And there's no better way to celebrate and show gratitude than in the famed "Mother of all Philippine Festivals".

Now on its 34th year, this year's Sinulog Festival showcased over a hundred groups and 7 out-of-town contingents. Not even the rains dampened the spirits of Cebuanos and the thousands of tourists who witnessed and joined this year. Everybody was in the festive mood—me included.

Here are some of my photos taken during the solemn procession and the grand parade:

 Did you know that the Sinulog Festival of Cebu is still 34 years old? Most of the Philippine festivals, like Davao's Kadayawan Festival and Bacolod's MassKara Festival, started in the 80s.

 A Sinulog Queen dancing in the grand parade.

 A Sinulog Queen with her Sto. Nino.

 
 Here's another Sinulog Queen dancing during the Grand Parade.

The solemn procession was attended by thousands of Sto. Nino devotees.

A Lumad Basakanon smiles for the crowd while dancing during the Sinulog Festival Grand Parade.

Foreigners also enjoyed the Sinulog Festival Grand Parade despite the rains. Here's a Korean girl who climbed the base of an electric post just to get a good view of the parade. Even this father and son enjoyed the Sinulog Festival Grand Parade. They both climbed a concrete block just to get a good view of the parade.