Celebrating Filipino culture, heritage all over Canada
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
June is Filipino Heritage Month and all over Canada, the festivities are getting grander every year.
Philippine Canadian News is taking part of the celebration by sharing the events to watch out for.
Friday, June 16
Street Eats Market
500 Progress Ave., Scarborough, Ontario
4 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Saturday, June 17)
The Filipino Night Market with the theme 7,000 Islands aims to celebrate Filipino Heritage Month and honour our regions back home. Whether you are from Bicol (Luzon), Cebu (Visayas), or Zamboanga (Mindanao), let us celebrate as a community and unite as one!
Aside from food, there will be handcrafted products, local bands and DJs, workshops like cooking and painting and a fire dance show.
Enchanted Evenings Concert Series with Bella Roses and Joey Albert
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
578 Carrall Street Vancouver, BC V6B 5K2
5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Celebrate Filipino Heritage Month with the unique performances of Bella Roces and Joey Albert. There will also be local Filipino vendors and feature local products, like chocolates, candles and foods. To commemorate Filipino Heritage Month, the Garden Eight Treasures Gift Shop will be hosting a specially Pop-Up curated by Caroline Boquist. Bella Roces is an R&B artist with a Filipino-indo and Scandinavian background. She released her first single in 2018, “You’re Confusing”. Since then, Bella has performed in various shows and venues throughout Vancouver. Joey Albert is an established Filipina pop and jazz singer, musician, lyricist, and songwriter. She began her professional singing career in the Philippines in the 80’s and became a sensation with multiple hits on many of her albums. She has appeared and has hosted my television programs and is most known in the Philippines.
Philippine Independence Day Gala Night
Mississauga Grand Banquet & Event Centre
35 Brunel Road, Mississauga, Ontario
5:30 p.m.
This is the 40th Philippine Independence Day Gala night of the Kalayaan Filipino Cultural Organization. Please wear your Filipiniana/formal wear. At 5:30 p.m., the antipasto station will open and dinner starts at 7:30 p.m.
125th Philippines Independence Day Gala
Infinity Convention Centre
2901 Gibford Drive, Ottawa, Ontario
6 p.m. to 2 a.m. (June 17)
The event will showcase some Filipino cultural dance, music, and fashion. Wear your Filpiniana or formal attire. The Banquet Hall will open at 6 p.m.
Reo Brothers-Live in Toronto
Toronto Pavilion
190 Railside Road, Toronto, Ontario M3A 1A3
7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
This phenomenal band of real-life brothers from Tacloban are now among the most sought-after international concert performers from the Philippines. They were the only Filipino band invited to perform at the International Beatleweek Festival, hosted by the Cavern Club in Liverpool, hometown of the legendary Beatles. The band members are the Otic brothers – Reno (31, drums), RJ (29, lead guitar), Raymart (27, Rhythm guitar), Ralph (25, bass), and Roy Mark (22, keyboard). They recently concluded a successful 14-city concert tour covering New York, Los Angeles, Florida, Las Vegas, and Washington D.C. among others. Aside from the Beatles, they also do covers of the Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, America, Dave Clark 5, Earth Wind & Fire and other rock icons of the 60s and 70s.
June 17, 2023
Reo Brothers-Live in Winnipeg
6:30 pm to 11:00 pm
Petrus Hall, 2624 Inkster Road, Winnipeg, Canada
Foodtrip Market with Bounciest and Pawshionista
Billy Mosienko parking lot
709 Keewatin St., Winnipeg
Witness a rare gastronomic fete of popular Filipino dishes, grilled entrees, special delicacies, baked goodies, juices, drinks and more.
Philippine 125th Independence Day Dinner and Dance Celebration
Clarion Hotel and Conference Center
2100 Premier Way, Sherwood Park, Alberta T8H 2G4
5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
It will be a time to connect with fellow Filipinos and immerse yourself in the rich culture and history of the Philippines.
Edmonton Filipino Fiesta
Borden Park
7507 Borden Park Road, NW, Edmonton, Alberta
June 17-June 18
The event will feature Filipino entertainment, arts, crafts and food. Edmonton is known as the Festival City and over 64,000 people of Filipino descent call Edmonton home.