A total of 35 brands had registered to participate as of Wednesday, Jan. 11.
Stephanie Rose Villarica, Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) marketing and promotions head, said the World Tent City will open to the public on Thursday, Jan. 12, at the University of the Philippines Professional School, right across the grandstand being built for the 2023 Sinulog grand parade.
“The concept of the tent city is really to bring the different hotel partners in the city to make an area where spectators can relax and enjoy the festivities,” Villarica said.
Aside from hotels, the tent city will feature malls that will showcase their products during the festival, said SFI executive director Elmer “Jojo” Labella.
The tent city will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and there will also be music entertainment for the public at night.
Exhibitors
Joshua Go, one of the organizers of the SRP World Tent City, showed SunStar Cebu Wednesday a list of the exhibitors: CMYK, JSpot, Buongiorno, Bella Tea, Balay, Brewed Delights, Don Takoyaki, Mic Check, Squeeze It Leron/Abling’s, Rae’s Sizzling, Hukad, Leylam, Virginia, Happy Cravings, Happy Coffee, Choobi-Choobi, and Happy Barista.
Tech companies such as Realme, Samsung and Huawei will also set up their booths at the World Tent City.
Papa Kit’s Marina and Fishing Lagoon, Pillow’s Hotel Cebu, Crown Regency Cebu, Bai Hotel Cebu, Club Ultima Cebu and Megawide Corp. will also use their booths to provide their services to the spectators of Cebu’s grandest celebration.
Wilma Monares, main organizer of the Tent City, added that Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark, the Department of Tourism-Central Visayas, Cebu City Tourism Office, League of Cities of the Philippines, and the Lapu-Lapu City Government would also have booths.
Booths
Each of the participating brands constructed and designed their respective tents, while the Cebu City Government and SFI will provide the electricity and water supply.
The participants don’t pay rent for putting their booths in the tent city. But the city government asked for P10,000 as utility fee including for the electricity and water consumption.
Located at Lot E after they were transferred from Lot F due to the “muddy” condition of the previous area, participating exhibitors were already finishing up their booth preparations on Wednesday, despite the heavy rains due to the presence of a low pressure area in the region.
Go said the exhibitors will compete in the “best booth design” competition at the end of the Sinulog celebration.
The SRP World Tent City can be enjoyed for four days until Jan. 15.
The concept of having a World Tent City in the SRP was first announced by Mayor Michael Rama when he delivered his first 100 days in office report on Oct. 3, 2022.
Villarica said bleachers will also be installed along the parade route for the convenience of the spectators, especially of the street dancing portion of the grand parade.