Pistahan in SF still brings cheer and fellowship on its 30th year
A Filipino tricycle is not a usual sight in San Francisco, but it’s a special presence at the Pistahan parade. INQUIRER/Jun Nucum.
SAN FRANCISCO — Another successful annual Pistahan Filipino Parade & Festival, the 30th, was held at Yerba Buena Gardens in downtown San Francisco, heralded by the largest Filipino parade on the West Coast.
The free 2-day outdoor event and featured hands-on and authentic cultural experiences in eight pavilions: Art, Culinary, Dance, Health, Heritage, Innovation, Sports and Tavern.
San Francisco Entertainment Commissioner and President of the Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE) Al Perez was all smiles. “I love going to Pistahan every year as I see a lot people here for reconnection and reunion.”
Perez stressed that this was about sparking cultural pride and fostering community empowerment especially since Filipino history is readily available in schools, making Filipinos very much underrepresented in movies, on TV and pop culture.
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This year’s Hermana Mayor was Melanie Ramil, a volunteer board member of the Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Project, a nonprofit organization that works to increase Asian Pacific Islander representation in public service. She said there has to be more Filipinas in elected office: “We need the first Pinay in the State Legislature.”
Cultural dancers never fail to attract the crowd with their colorful and elegant attire. INQUIRER/Jun Nucum.
This year’s Pistahan Community Grand Marshall was Janet Alvarado, executive director of the Alvarado Project, which preserves and exhibits photographs of the early Filipino community in the city, most of them shot by her father.
Head of Operations of GMA International Joseph Francia said San Francisco and the Bay Area hold a special place in GMA Pinoy’S TV’s heart. “It is where we first launched eighteen years ago on August 1 2005. We were welcomed warmly by the community.”
South San Francisco Mayor Flor Nicolas said, “To all Filipino let us continue to be proud wherever we are in the world.”
El Cerrito Council Member Gabe Quinto said he was happy to see “this great crowd and to see our community together” after the pandemic.
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