Did you know that the largest outdoor Filipino-American event in the U.S. happens right her in Seattle?
Pista sa Nayon (a Filipino phrase translated “town festival”) happens every year on the last Sunday of July in Seward Park. Which means the 2011 Pista happens tomorrow, July 31st!
Pista sa Nayon was carried over from the Philippines, where Filipinos would gather for a fiesta in the middle of town to celebrate a good harvest, and it would be a time for people to focus on their neighbors, family and friends, solidifying the sense of community and hard work.
The festival in Seattle was first proposed in 1990 by Ron Sims, then a member of the King County Council. Together with his wife, Cayan Topacio and his staff assistant Bengie Santos (both Filipino Americans), they approached Filipino American community leaders and asked for their support for a summer festival associated with Seafair. The purpose of the festival was to give the growing Filipino American population a sense of partnership with the larger Seattle community. African American, Latino, Native American, and other Asian American groups already had celebrations as part of Seafair.
The first festival was held in 1990 at Rainier Playfield, drawing roughly 2,000 attendees. By the year 2000, Pista was drawing in excess of 10,000 people. In 2001, an estimated 15,000 people came to Pista at the Seward Park Amphitheatre.
At Pista, you'll find vendors and performers living and breathing the best of Filipino culture. Enjoy pancit, adobo and lumpia from one of the food vendors while watching traditional and modern Filipino dance and art on the main stage. There's always tons of clothing and jewelry to shop from as well - all Filipino-made and inspired. There are also booths by various groups in the city, from human rights organizations to the Kuyas & Ates, aka the Filipino fraternity and sororities based in area universities.
Community support is the key to Pista’s success. Throughout each year, volunteers plan, meet and raise funds to ensure its success. Over 150 volunteers work on Pista, now the largest outdoor Filipino American event in the country. Catering to everyone from birth to community elders, it has become the essential family reunion on a wonderfully grand scale.
I've been attending Pista for as long as I can remember. Hope to see you tomorrow! Look for the girl stuffing her face in halo-halo:
