Tinikling performed at the 18th Annual Pisthan Parade and Festival (Photo by Jong Arcega)
The Pistahan Parade will kick-off the weekend festivities and will take place Saturday, August 10 from San Francisco's Civic Center.
Beautifully themed floats and an estimated 100 colorful and entertaining contingents representing many different ethnic communties around the Bay Area make this a unique San Francisco event. This year the Pistahan Parade begins at its original start at San Francisco Civic Center at Grove Street and Larkin Street and will go down Market Street, make a right on 4th street, and disembark east onto Folsom Street.
Both festival days will feature an array of entertainment, exhibits, and immersive cultural opportunities. There will be seven fun, educational, and interactive pavilions:
Pistahan Parade and Festival
Art Pavilion
Visual art exhibit will showcase the eclectic styles of Filipino artists from all over the San Francisco Bay Area with an art installation featuring Baybayin (an ancient Filipino writing system) painted on balikbayan boxes in modern pop-art style.
Dance Pavilion
This interactive pavilion will introduce Festival attendees to various types of dances from folkloric to ballroom, and will teach them how to play musical instruments like the kulintang for a memorable cultural experience.
Ramar Foods Culinary Pavilion
Celebrating the many flavors of Philippine cuisine, local restaurants will feature their specialty regional cuisine at the Food Court. Professional and amateur chefs are invited to participate in the 9th annual Adobo Cookoff either in the traditional or "fusion adobo" categories. Don't miss the annual popular Balut Eating Contest and Ice Cream Eating Contest! Stick around to watch cooking demonstrations on Filipino dishes influenced by other cultures and vice-versa by renowned Filipino chefs.
Wells Fargo Heritage Pavilion
A mini Filipino museum displaying Philippine artifacts, photographs and material art from institutions and local collectors, most pieces never displayed in public before. Connect with Filipino history and learn something new about our rich and vibrant past! Featuring an exhibition on the dynamic growth and significant contributions of the Filipino community to the Bay Area and beyond, in the span of the last 20 years.
Creativity Pavilion
A creative space where kids of all ages can get hands-on experience learning Filipino art and crafts and discover Filipino folklores and folktales.
Kaiser Permanente Health Pavilion:
Partner organizations will provide useful information, provide awareness, and address the health care issues of our community. Free hepatitis B screenings will also be available.
Sports Pavilion
Witness a boxing tournament and catch Filipino Martial Arts demonstrations, honoring Filipino warriors past and present. Stay tuned for announcement of special guests!
The Pistahan Parade and Festival would like to invite the public to participate in the festival. Here are ways to get involved:
Pistahan Festival at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco (Photo by Jong Arcega)
OPEN CALL FOR PARTICIPATION
( 1 ) BE A VENDOR / HAVE A BOOTH
Pistahan is currently looking for arts & crafts, food and community exhibitors.
For booth applications and details, contact:
Gavin Tolentino
Development Specialist
Gavin.Pistahan@gmail.com
(415) 625-EXPO (3976)
( 2 ) PERFORM AT THE PISTAHAN
Musicians, vocalists, dance groups, martial artists, spoken word artists, hosts, comedians, and other entertainers are encouraged to apply. Please go to our website at http://www.pistahan.net, click on PERFORM AT PISTAHAN, and compete the short questionnaire
( 3 ) SPONSOR THE FESTIVAL
Support THE premiere Bay Area Filipino event and connect with the largest Asian ethnic group in California! Take advantage of our many branding and marketing opportunities.
For details contact:
Al Perez,
Filipino American Arts Exposition President
pistahansf@gmail.com
(415) 625-EXPO (3976)
Pistahan Parade in San Francisco
( 4 ) WALK IN THE PARADE
The only major Philippine parade in the West Coast, The Pistahan Parade is a display of Filipino community pride. Colorful floats, marching bands and lively community contingents has helped build Pistahan Parade, as THE Filipino counterpart of San Francisco's great cultural institutions like Chinese New Year Parade, Carnaval, St. Patrick's Parade, among others. The parade will take place on Saturday August 10 at 11 a.m.
Get your contingent together and show your Pinoy Pride! Prizes will be awarded to the best contingent, best costume, best choreography and more! Come dressed in ethnic Filipino attire to be a part of the Lead Banner Contingent and for a chance to win the "best dressed" award.
To participate, fill out the form online:
http://www.pistahan.net/parade_contingent_application
( 5 ) VOLUNTEER
Volunteers are needed in the weeks leading up to the event, and on the day of. Fill out the short Volunteer Survey at http://www.pistahan.net/volunteer.
WHAT:
20th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival
International Celebration of Filipino Culture and Cuisine
WHEN AND WHERE:
- PISTAHAN PARADE
Saturday, August 10
11:00 am
March down Market St, from Civic Center to Yerba Buena Gardens - PISTAHAN FESTIVAL
Saturday & Sunday, August 10 & 11
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission St @ 4th St, San Francisco
FOR MORE INFO
www.pistahan.net
facebook.com/Pistahan
Twitter @pistahan
About the Pistahan Parade and Festival
The Pistahan Parade and Festival was founded in 1994 and has been consistently held in the oval gardens of the Yerba Buena Center. The Filipino American Arts Exposition, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that contributes to the artistic and cultural pride of the Filipino community, organizes the annual event. http://pistahan.net/