After the recently concluded Hinugyaw Festival at Koronadal City, I found myself once again venturing into another colorful and vibrant festival, this time in General Santos City – but unique as it is for it includes a fluvial parade.
My First Fluvial Parade Experience
Yes, this is my first fluvial parade. I’ve always wanted to attend one after seeing travel videos and photos in various parts of the country where fluvial parades are celebrated.
I was lucky enough that my travel buddy’s a relative of one of the owners of a fishing company in GenSan, and so I was grateful to be invited to board one of their vessel ships joining the fluvial parade.
Early Morning Start
January 15, 2013, the day of the feast of Sto Nino, the day started early as 4:30am. Almost 300 fishing vessels assembled their selves near their respective ports at Brgy Calumpang, in preparation of the parade.
Boats Assemble for the Fluvial Parade
My Grateful Hosts for the Event…. Thank you!
The Fluvial Parade Tradition
The tradition is that one of these vessels (this year the Safi) will be carrying the Sto Nino and parade it from the Queen Tuna Park (aka Lion’s Beach) to the Fish Port and back ; while all other vessels will sail together with it.
While this is happening, people boarding the vessels (mostly families of fishermen) will be in joyful merriment, eating abundantly, loud talks, jolly music, and of course the Sinulog dance.
The Vessel Carrying the Sto Nino
The Sinulog Dance
The Sinulog music plays and fills the air while the fluvial parade is going on, with people in the boat where the Sto Nino is held in merry dances while carrying the Sto Nino.
The route continues with Para gliders in the sky joining and daytime fireworks display giving colors to the festivity.
Vessel ships will try to get as close as possible to the boat carrying the Sto Nino in the pursuit of grabbing a flower from the Sto Nino’s decorated floral array.
Why you should grab a ‘Flower’ during the festivity?
It is a belief that a ‘flower’ from the Sto Nino will bless the one who held this for the entire year, fishermen with abundant catch, safe sailing to the sea, households with plentiful blessings, and more.
The Sto. Nino Procession
After the fluvial parade, the Sto Nino is transferred to another decorated boat and transported back to Brgy Bula.
By this time hundreds of people awaits at the shore to welcome the Nino.
Fluvial Parade Video
Here’s a mini clip from GMA News featuring the festivity.
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Indeed, this fluvial parade is a must watch merriment. So if you want to join next year, you know where to head to on the 15th of January! See you there!
The Adventures of AdventuRoj! 
amazing!! I should have waited for this 🙂 Tsssk! Beautiful photos btw, roj!
It’s never too late Wander Shugah.. You could join next month’s Kalilangan in GenSan. And there’s still next year for the fluvial parade. hehe. Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
I simply wished to thank you so much all over again. I am not sure the things that I might have made to happen in the absence of the actual opinions discussed by you on my area. Completely was an absolute alarming scenario for me, however , coming across the skilled fashion you handled that took me to weep for fulfillment. I am just grateful for your assistance as well as expect you find out what an amazing job you are carrying out training many others through your web blog. I am certain you have never met all of us.
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Wow this post has it all – video, photos and a short and useful description of events. I have never been to a fluvial festival and I think this is something I should try one of these days. 🙂
I haven’t been to a local festival yet but it looks like a lot of fun. I thought that Sinulog was only celebrated in Cebu seems like it’s celebrated in other places as well.
What a great way to celebrate and such a festive event. I want to try this too.
This is a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks for introducing it to us. The first time I heard about the festival. I so much love it. 🙂
Ive never witnessed a fluvial parade before..
This seems like an all day bustle of activities, all to celebrate a fiesta!
Would be a nice one to witness!
Nice one, Roj! Sayang di ako nakapunta it would have been my first fluvial parade too 😦 ang ulan kasi OA sa lakas.
i enjoyed all the photos!! it looks like i needed to do this one time in my life since i love this massive parade! xx
This is my first time to read about fluvial parade for santo nino in gen. san 🙂 Akala ko sa Cebu lang to 🙂 thanks for sharing. Hopefully maexperience ko rin to 🙂
Your photos tell all about your unforgettable experience in barangay Bula and describe how the people there celebrated the mini Sinulog festival.
We were on board the Atlantis 4 vessel. Where are you at? I wonder why I haven’t met you. Haha
Good thing that you have fun at the parade. It was really amazing to see a fleet of fishing vessels join a parade in celebration of Sr. Santo Niño
Viva Pit Senyor!
This is one reason why I envy most bloggers from the south. Fiestas there are very colorful and inviting. I hope I could go there really soon.
Fiesta ng Bula is one of the biggest celebration in GenSan but unfortunately I missed it this year.. i was asleep the whole day.. 🙂
I can relate to this one. I once joined a fluvial parade in bulacan. The experience is great. Love your photos, talagang nag-enjoy ka.
Those are a lot of boats…
This looks pretty fun, to be honest. I’ve never been to Gen San, and my friends who’ve been there never mentioned this event. It’s mostly food trip after food trip!
Those are a lot of boats…
I’ve never been to Gen San, and my friends who have never mentioned this festival. It’s always food trip after food trip!
nice trip! i love your photos. it’s been sometime since i ride a boat. i miss the pier environment
This is the first time I heard about this mini Sinulog in Gen. San. I could see that all of you are really happy about the fluvial parade.
Very beautiful! I didn’t know that General Santos City, particularly Barangay Bula, celebrates Sinulog, until I saw a video from YouTube. This one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5MlFeWCJhE . Then I came to this page after searching for Sinulog Gen San. Pit Senyor Barangay Bula! Ishagit ug Kusog!