By: Sia Garg, SFU student

June is Filipino Heritage Month across Canada, and in BC, this year’s community celebration is the 4th annual Pinoy Festival, taking place at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, on June 20 and 21. The festival’s organizers are connecting their celebration of Filipino culture to the spirit of unity seen on the world stage during this year’s FIFA World Cup summer. The Peak got in touch with Paul Clemente, the chairman behind this year’s festival, to learn more.

At the heart of the festival, we have a focus on the Filipino concept of bayanihan, the tradition of communities coming together to support one another.

As Clemente has put it, that spirit will be reflected throughout the events, being entirely “volunteer-run,” and built through the efforts of local community groups. Many have come together to help each other out and to create something beautiful that showcases the Filipino culture, heritage, and pride. Every feature, ranging “from the art exhibit to the family fun park” has included community groups who spent months preparing booths, performances, and cultural showcases that will fill the festival grounds throughout the weekend.

Kicking off the weekend, the festivities will begin on Saturday with the Solidarity Parade, one of the festival’s signature events. Led by a marching band, the parade features “contingents from Filipino organizations representing different regions, provinces, interests, and associations.” Participants are invited to arrive in traditional attire, carrying communal banners, and performing chants that past participants have described as creating a lively and colorful atmosphere. Other immigrant communities will also march alongside the Filipino community, highlighting the festival’s broader message of solidarity across an array of ethnic and cultural diversity.

The remainder of Saturday includes an opening ceremony, cultural performances, and a Philippine cultural fashion showcase. Later in the evening, the festival will be shifting gears with a DJ show collaborating alongside Tables Tutors DJ Studio, involving 11 DJs, “alongside some breakdancing, and a special performance by Vino [Cuenca], a national Canadian beatboxing champion.”

The following Sunday will be filled with live music, with bands performing throughout the day. Hungry attendees will be glad to hear that across both days, there will be a large selection of many featuring food trucks and stalls serving everything from sizzling street food to classic home-cooked Filipino classics, such as chicharon bulaklak and ginanggang, as well as a Beer Garden, a pop-up marketplace featuring local handmade goods, and interactive community booths, all of which are worth lingering around a little longer.

However, we also got a sneak peek at one feature Clemente is hoping to receive a lot of attention this year: the Arnis showcase! Arnis is the national martial art of the Philippines, and will be demonstrated live by local clubs who will be coming down to offer visitors a chance to experience an important part of Filipino cultural heritage firsthand.

Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to celebrate Filipino culture without having to travel a long distance. Gates open at 9:00 a.m. and the celebration runs until 10:00 p.m. for both evenings. Admission is free, which gives visitors many opportunities to celebrate Filipino culture together with family or friends!

Stay up to date with the festival by following their Instagram page @pinoyfestivalca.