Pistahan Parade and Festival in S.F. celebrates Filipino culture
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- The 29th annual Pistahan Parade and Festival in San Francisco kicked off Saturday after a pandemic hiatus and a popular new movie that draws attention to Filipino culture.
"I feel really proud of who I am and where I came from," said Jeana Rabanal, a vendor who started Mie Makes during the pandemic. "Growing up, there wasn't a lot of Filipino products that I wanted."
Her brand of stickers, shirts and other items showcase cultural pride.
Earlier this month the film "Easter Sunday" starring comedian Jo Koy and highlighting his character's Filipino family in Daly City opened in theaters around the country. Community members say this movie and other projects in the media have helped to elevate general awareness of Filipino-American life.
"Filipino history is not taught in our textbooks. There's hardly any representation of minorities in music and film, in TV," said Al Perez, president of the Filipino American Arts Exposition which organizes the festival and parade. "Our community can come to uplift each other and say, 'we're OK, we're here, and we matter.'"
Pistahan means "fiesta" and the event creates a bright, joyful atmosphere over two days with different pavilions introducing visitors to Filipino food, art, dance, and industry. The event began 29 years ago to acknowledge 4,000 Filipino families displaced by the construction of Yerba Buena Gardens and Moscone Convention Center, which are now part of the Filipino Cultural Heritage District.
The parade began Saturday at Civic Center and continued along Market Street and continued to Yerba Buena Gardens.
"I'm glad to see it because, when I was younger, we didn't see as much," said Ian Bautista, a South San Francisco resident at the festival.
The pandemic did help the event reach a larger audience by going virtual and connecting with families across the U.S. and in more than 30 countries around the world. Younger visitors said they were glad to learn about their heritage while attending the festival for the first time.
"If we see more Filipino culture, we can feel more connected to our community and I'm proud to be here," said Kenneth Ayson, another South San Francisco resident.
Organizers are already spreading the word for next year, which will be their 30th anniversary.
"I'm seeing more representation, especially Filipino representation, the last couple of years. It's nice to be part of that," Rabanal said.
The festival continues Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Yerba Buena Gardens.