FIL FIESTA 559, a cultural festival dedicated to the Filipino community was held at Fresno City College for the first time on Oct. 26.
The event was free and supported by the City of Fresno Measure P grant alongside collaborations with CMAC and Fresno City College.
Christine Rose, the event’s organizer, said the event was in celebration of Filipino American History Month. She wanted to bring Fresno’s community together for a celebration of their culture and for Filipinos to have a space to be around one another and relay shared experiences.
“As I started to meet more Filipinos in our community, I was learning that there hasn’t been a lot of spaces to offer this kind of celebration,” Rose said.
She said she wanted a space for education and empowerment, including a sense of pride for Filipinos including those who may not be as in touch with their roots.
“It’s my hope that if you’re there, it touches that part of you if it’s dormant,” Rose said. “It’s my hope that if it’s already there and you’re out and loud about it, that you’re a little bit more loud and your heart is that much warmer when you think about it.”
She also hoped for non-Filipino attendees to learn more about Filipino culture and identity. In the inclusion of history and other sections of culture, Rose wanted to showcase Filipinos beyond food.
There was a sense of pride and openness as many proudly wore their barongs or Philippine flag jackets.
Filipino and other Southeast Asian small businesses set up shop stalls on the green grass turfs up along the paved paths. From jewelry to Filipino streetwear, there was a variety of goods for the thousand attendees coming in and out throughout the day to view.
One booth was fronted by a rainbow tablecloth packed with briefcases of assorted jewelry under a lone umbrella draped with thin vivid color veil flows.
The contents of the groovesnflows booth run by Filipino owner and rollerblader Samantha Claveria Santos and her mother ranged from earrings and bracelets to bamboo hair pins made from trees in Santos’ backyard.
“Going into the libraries to learn about the Philippines, there was just one book and it was only about General MacArthur. Nothing about the Filipino culture, language or food,” Santos said.
She participated to support an otherwise lacking representation of Filipinos and Asians in the Central Valley and to help provide a sense of an inclusive community.
“We are out here, you don’t have to be afraid,” she said. “We are happy to just let you shine.”
Attendees Niccole Jorge and Josh Haskins were excited to be at a Filipino festival in Fresno given the lack of prior occurrences.
“I have been living here for about 10 years. I don’t think I knew about any cultural events here for Filipinos,” Jorge said. “It’s such a blessing to see everybody here and to interact with a bunch of Filipinos.”
They were looking forward to the various food options that FIL FIESTA had to offer.
“I’m a quarter Filipino so it’s always nice to connect to my roots from the Philippines, because I don’t really have that anymore,” Haskins said.
Several workshops and exhibits throughout the venue displayed the vastness of Filipino representation including an art exhibition at FCC’s Old Administration Building.
In the center of the room were historical artifacts including traditional fashion and clothing articles intricately woven together. Catholic artifacts included crosses and statues of the Virgin Mary.
On the outskirts were easels with filled canvasses of painted portraits and depictions of Philippine stories and culture.
Outside FCC’s Library, Filipino performers had taken the stage since the beginning of the event. An open microphone karaoke session had begun by the 12 p.m. interval.
“We are so much more than the food that we make,” Rose said before the arrival of the event headliners, The Filharmonic, an a capella group.
The spectators surrounding the stage had been energetic throughout the day with waves of cheers and applause. There was total activation of the crowd with every song played.
As The Filharmonic performed its rendition of “Just The Two Of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers, Santos swiveled to the beat in her rollerblade shoes.
Blue, violet and purple silk flow fans fluttered around as she waved her arms in graceful pheasant motions with a pure smile across her face.
As the festival came close to its end, crowds gathered around for a dance in front of the stage to The Filharmonic’s cover of “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
“We all have different experiences and identities as Filipinos,” Rose said. “I want everyone to know that no matter what your experience, no matter what level of knowledge you have, you’re a Filipino.”
She felt FIL FIESTA had been a success and was satisfied with how it had gone after the event was finished.
“We’re gonna do it again,” Rose concluded.
