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Newsletters>
Mango Fix @ Fiesta Filipina in S.F.
June 8, 2007
Hello!
MFD will be at Fiesta Filipina on the weekend of June 16th
and 17th in San Francisco. Stop by our booth!
http://www.fiestafilipinausa.com/
Time: 10am - 6pm
@ Civic Center Plaza
San Francisco, CA
HISTORY
Fiesta Filipina 1995
During the 1980’s the Department of Tourism launched the
Fiesta Islands festival, commemorating Independence Day of
the Philippines, in San Francisco. After almost a decade of
successful Independence Day festivals, the cash-strapped
DOT decided 1994 would be the last year of Fiesta Islands.
Fortunately, in 1995, four organizers from the private
sector formed the Asian Pacific Exhibits & Conferences,
Inc. (APEC). Sid Protasio, Art Padua, Tony Lim and Gerry
Palabyab would continue the legacy and Fiesta Filipina was
born. The 1st Annual Fiesta Filipina was held at Fort Mason
on June 10, 11 & 12, 1995. The festival was an overwhelming
success, attracting dignitaries from the Philippines
including the soon-to-be Former President Joseph Estrada,
Mayor Lim of Manila and San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan,
among others.
Fiesta Filipina 1996
The following year APEC launch the “Kalayaan ’96 Festivals”
- 3 weekends in 3 different cities. The union included
Filipino Festival ’96 in Monterrey, Musical Islands in
Union Square, San Francisco, and Fiesta Filipina at Pier 45
in San Francisco. All three festivals continued to solidify
APEC’s position as the premier festival organizer. Fiesta
Filipina 1996’s honored guests included Senator Magsaysay
from the Philippines, and Mayor Willie Brown, the former
who was been the guest of honor at every Fiesta Filipina to
the present. And the roster of performers continued to
grow, including mainstream starts including Jocelyn
Enriquez and Jaya, among other famous singers and cultural
groups from the Philippines and the Bay Area.
Fiesta Filipina 1997
Fiesta Filipina 1997 stayed at Pier 45 at San Francisco’s
Fisherman’s Wharf. The newest addition to the festival
included a parade, entitled “Kasaysayan ng Lahing Pilipino”
or Cultural Historical Parade. The parade route ran west to
east along Jefferson Street from the Aquatic Park (on Hyde
and Jefferson Sts.), then left on Taylor and on to Pier 45.
Parade participants included the San Francisco Mounted
Police, Ati-Atihan dancers, cultural dance groups, Alumni
Associations, WWII veterans, among others. Special guest
stars at the program on the main stage were Martin Nievera,
Agot Isidro and Jocelyn Enriquez, and various cultural and
modern dance groups from the Filipino American community.
Fiesta Filipina 1998
Fiesta Filipina 1998 moved to Civic Center Plaza in front
of San Francisco’s City Hall and celebrated the centennial
anniversary of Philippine Independence with a special
“Philippine Centennial International Cultural Festival”
featuring guest stars from the Philippines including Jolina
Magdangal and Marvin Agustin; and international celebrities
including Jorge Santana, Pete Escovedo and Conjunto
Cespedes. The entire festival danced to the music as the
stage paraded an eclectic mix of Latin jazz, American pop
and Filipino standards bands. New to Fiesta for 1998 was
the History pavilion, a pictorial essay of Philippine
history, as well as a Dance & World Travel Pavilion with
presentations of traditional and modern Filipino dances,
science and technology displays and a showcase of original
work by contemporary American Filipino choreographers.
Joining Willie Brown as the guest of honor was Philippine
Consul General Teresita Marzan. The record breaking
attendance topped 80,000 people, not only from the Filipino
American community but other communities as well.
Fiesta Filipina 1999
Fiesta Filipina 1999 was presented as the Philippine
Independence and Education Celebration. This two-day
festival showcased the cross-cultural roots of the
Philippines with six different pavilions, an open-air
market and main stage entertainment by 100 contemporary and
traditional Philippine, Latino and Asian performers. One
pavilions was dedicated to the promoting the importance of
education. Schools and universities were invited to
participate in an outreach program, presenting the programs
available to the public. Among the highlights of the
program was international singing idol Jordan Knight,
formerly of New Kids On The Block, as well as Fil-Am
favorites including KAI, One Voice, Palabuniyan Kulintang,
Ating Tao (a percussion company), Sining Kumintang ng
Batangas (dance company from the Philippines), Michele Diaz
(a singer from the Bay Area) and a fashion show and
exhibition of the Barong Tagalog (the Philippine national
costume) created by Filipino designer Barge Ramos. This
year joining Willie Brown was then Philippine Consul
General Amado Cortez, and US Representative Ms. Nancy
Pelosi.
Fiesta Filipina 2000
New for Fiesta Filipina 2000 was the Bb. Fiesta Filipina
Beauty Pageant, an internationally acclaimed talent and
beauty contest that searched for a Bb. Fiesta Filipina
among young female contestants from the Filipino American
community. The Dance Pavilion featured Filipino folk
dancing, Hawaiian, and ballroom dancing presentations, as
well as, dance workshops in each of these categories for
the public to learn. Headliners in the main stage program
were Filipino artists Ruby Rodriguez, Ella May Siason,
Richard Gomez and various singers and dancers from the Bay
Area.
Fiesta Filipina 2001
Fiesta Filipina 2001 continued to grow as the festival
featured new exhibitors from the Philippines ranging from
woodcrafts, native embroidered clothing, native baskets and
processed foods. This pavilion showcased a sampling of
products from the Philippines to the Bay Area. Lined up for
the main stage program were local Filipino cultural dance
and martial arts groups, as well as a singing group from
Hawaii, Forte, and Billy Crawford, Filipino American singer
from New York. Highlighting the program were popular
artists Diether Ocampo, Ai-Ai de las Alas and Arnel Ignacio
from the Philippines. Once again, Willie Brown cut the
opening ceremony ribbon, joined by Consul General Delia
Menez Rosal.
Fiesta Filipina 2002
Fiesta Filipina 2002 had grown to be the most largely
attended Independence Day celebration in the Bay Area. The
Bb. Fiesta Filipina Beauty Pageant was again one of the
highlights of the program, as well as international
superstars Christopher de Leon, Rica Paralejo and Roselle
Nava. And Fiesta Filipina had turned out to be a proving
ground for upcoming Fil-Am talents, having promoted the
success of cross-over artists such as Buffy, Jocelyn
Enriquez, KAI, Pinay, One Voice, Innerlude and Fatima,
among others. It had become a venue for local cultural
groups to present to the community a sampling of
traditional dance and music such as Likha Pilipino Folk
Ensemble, Ating Tao, Rondalla bands, Maharlika Dance
Troupe, various martial arts/escrima groups, Sining
Kumintang and others.
Fiesta Filipina 2003
Fiesta Filipina 2003, acclaimed for bringing the biggest
talent from the Philippines to the Bay Area went all out
and topped its previous years. Fiesta Filipina flew in
Senator Soto of popular Filipino television show “Eat
Bulaga” from the Philippines bringing Filipinos living in
the United States closer to home. And the finale, megastar
performer, Cesar Montano mesmerized the audience with his
melodic sounds. New to Fiesta Filipina for 2003 was the
Filipino Choice Awards, celebrating the accomplishments of
Fil-Am businesspeople and philanthropists, as well as a
celebration of the heritage was also present on stage by
cultural performers, local youth artists which was brought
together by highly recognized local emcees such as Tita
Aida, David Rodriquez and PJ Jacinto.
Fiesta Filipina 2003 "LAS VEGAS, NEVADA"
For the first time in history, Fiesta Filipina was held at
the Fremont Street in Las Vegas on October 25 and 26 2003.
The festival featured new exhibitors from the Philippines
from native canned goods, baskets, embroidered clothing, to
Philippine delicacy and cuisine. The search for young and
talented Bb. Fiesta Filipina Beauty Pageant was one of the
highlights of the program. The Santa Cruzan around the
Fremont Street, Maharlika Dances Troupe, Filipiniana Dance
Co., Hiphop Dance Group, Philippine Dance Co. and mainstage
performers like Bernardo Bernardo, Angela Velez, Jo Awayan
and Lailani Navarro were also featured. The celebration of
Philippine heritage in the world's entertainment capital
was indeed an overwhelming success.
Fiesta Filipina 2004
Fiesta Filipina 2004 Fiesta Filipina continued to grow,
entertain and educate people in the Bay Area of their
Filipino traditions and culture. During our opening
ceremony, we were honored to be visited by Senator-Elect
Jinggoy Estrada and Anchorwoman Korina Sanchez together
with Consul General Delia Menez Rosal and Undersecretary
Rolando Reyes. Following was a creative line up on the main
stage by Filipino cultural artists and modern dance groups
as well as talented singers from the Bay Area. Highlighting
the program were popular artists from the Philippines like
Aileen Papin, Angela Velez, G. Tongi, and Ms. Rachel
Alejandro. The event would not be complete with out the
Fiesta Filipina 2004 exhibitors marketing their respective
products from native goods to embroidered clothing to
Filipino delicacies and cuisines. To top it all, the
festival included the yearly search for Little and Miss
Republic of the Philippines.
Fiesta Filipina 2004 "Las Vegas"
For the second time, Fiesta Filipina celebrate the
Philippine Heritage Month at Fremont Street Experience, Las
Vegas, NV last Oct. 22, 23 and 24 2004 as they entertain
and educate the people about the Philippines, its native
product, delicacies & cuisines, traditions & culture with
the help of The Philippine Dept of Trade Region 8 Director
and Leyte Province Congresswoman Remedios Petilla and
Congresswoman Carmen Cari, they brought their native
product from the Region 8. Twelve beautiful young ladies
competing for the title of Bb. Fiesta Filipina 2004 Las
Vegas was one of the highlights of the program. Aside from
that, there were local and International talents who
entertained the audience from the beginning until the end
of the show, including the "Soul Diva" Anna Fegi from the
Philippines.
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