The Soli-Soli Festival is celebrated in San Francisco, Camotes Islands, Cebu in honor of St. Joseph, the town’s patron saint. The festival takes its name from soli-soli, a local plant associated with Lake Danao and Pacijan Island.
The festival was included among Cebu’s major municipal festivals in Pasigarbo sa Sugbo 2024.
🌿 What is soli-soli?
Soli-soli refers locally to a cattail/bulrush-type plant, identified in research as Typha latifolia. Traditionally, the dried plant is processed and woven into useful and decorative products such as:
- Mats
- Bags and pouches
- Hats
- Fans
- Slippers
- Ropes
- Festival decorations
Soli-soli weaving is also an important expression of the traditional livelihood and craftsmanship of San Franciscohanons.
💃 Festival highlights
A major attraction is the street dancing competition, where performers wear elaborate costumes incorporating soli-soli. The choreography reflects the traditional process of working with the plant—harvesting, cutting and weaving.
The celebration combines:
🌾 Local livelihood + 🎭 colorful costumes + 💃 street dancing + ⛪ religious devotion + 🎨 traditional crafts
This makes Soli-Soli particularly interesting for visitors who want to experience Camotes culture beyond its beaches and caves.
📍 Why it matters to Camotes tourism
Soli-Soli connects Lake Danao, local handicrafts, San Francisco’s history, and community livelihood into one cultural attraction. A 2024 SunStar feature specifically highlighted Lake Danao as a place where the soli-soli grass can be found and noted that it inspires the town’s annual festival.