SM Seaside turns up Cebu’s geek scene

SM Seaside City Cebu wrapped up its Seaside Geek Fest 2026 on Sunday, adding another community-driven event to SM’s growing entertainment and lifestyle offerings in the Visayas.

Held at the Mountain Wing Atrium, the closing day featured a cosplay ramp competition, lightsaber workshop, Dungeons & Dragons workshop, and gaming activities involving Tekken, Super Smash Bros. and Pokémon VGC. A Beyblade competition also formed part of the lineup.

The festival underscores SM Seaside City Cebu’s role as more than a retail destination, as SM Prime Holdings Inc. continues to expand its entertainment and events footprint in Cebu.

The mall’s event offerings come as SM Prime develops South Coast City, which includes the newly launched SM Seaside Cebu Arena and the upcoming SMX Convention Center Seaside Cebu.

SM Prime said the arena, which can accommodate more than 25,000 guests, is part of its effort to strengthen Cebu’s position as a destination for international events, domestic tourism and long-term investment.

The company also said in July that more than 20 major shows were lined up at the newly launched arena for 2026, spanning Filipino and international acts, live productions, sports events and family entertainment.

Against this backdrop, events such as Seaside Geek Fest allow SM to broaden its audience beyond major concerts and sporting events by bringing together niche communities, families and younger consumers through interactive experiences.

For SM, the festival forms part of a wider strategy to position its Cebu properties as destinations where retail, entertainment, tourism and community activities converge.