Welcome to Seattle Center

Choose a language

Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival is May 31 – June 1: 11am-7pm at the Armory Food & Event Hall. The festival is part of the Seattle Center Festál series. It is free and open to the public.

Seattle Center Festál is a year-round series of 25 free cultural festivals, produced in partnership with community organizations. In 2022, Festál celebrated 25 years of stories and traditions, ushering in a new era of hybrid programming. Learn more about Festál and subscribe to the newsletter for updates.

Sign Up For Festal News Button

EVENT Schedule – Saturday, May 31

ARMORY STAGE

Time

Event

11:00am-12:00pm

Grand Opening Ceremony
Emcees:  JP Paredes and Teza Mendoza

 

·         US National Anthem and Philippine National Anthem

o   Noel Bote, USA National Anthem

o   Veronica Bella, Republic of the Philippines National Anthem

·         Welcome Remarks

o   JP Paredes, President, Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington 

·         Keynote Speaker

o   RoseAnn Lopez, Director of Facilities, Planning & Operations, Seattle Center

·         Lumad Dance

o   FCS Kalahi Cultural Dance Ensemble and the Magsayawan Ketchikan

·         Guest Speaker

o   Agnes Navaro, Executive Director, Filipino Community of Seattle

·         Closing Remarks

o   JP Paredes

12:00pm-12:30pm

Reflections by Rea Maac

12:30pm-1:00pm

Filipino Old Songs – The Barriotix

1:00pm-1:30pm

Rural and Maria Clara-inspired Dances by the FCS Kalahi Cultural Dance Ensemble; Bennyroyce Royon, FCS Program Director, Filipino Community of Seattle; Juliet Cheatle, Culture and Arts Consultant, FCS

1:30pm-2:00pm

Filipino Martial Arts Demonstration by the Bellevue Martial Arts Academy with Punong Guro Myrlino Hufana

2:00pm-2:30pm

Cordillera Dance Traditions by the BIBAK Pacific Northwest

2:30pm-3:00pm

Lumad and Bangsamoro Dances by the FCS Kalahi Cultural Dance Ensemble, Magsayawan Ketchikan, and the Filipinas Performing Arts of Washington

3:00pm-3:30pm

Ensemble of Filipino Music by the FAAIE Bayanihan Rondalla

3:30pm-4:20pm

Traditional Dances and Apparel Showcase by the Filipinas Performing Arts of Washington State, the FCS Kalahi Cultural Dance Ensemble, and Magsayawan Ketchikan

4:20pm-4:30pm

Anne Razel Timajo

4:30pm-5:00pm

Ballads of Rigor Coloma

5:00pm-5:30pm

Rural and Maria Clara-inspired Dances by SAYAW Filipino Folk Dance Troupe

5:30pm-6:00pm

Dulaan: Ligawan sa Barrio, a Cultural Showcase by Musika at Iba Pa

6:00pm-7:00pm

Filipino Rock by Tigas Tito Band

ARMORY LOFT 1A

Time

Event

11:00am-6:00pm

DIWA Filipino Film Festival by Adrian Alarilla

ARMORY LOFT 1B

Time

Event

11:00am-2:00pm

Rizal, Heroes and Martyrs Exhibit and Seminar by SIKLAB, coordinated by Roger Rigor

2:30pm-4:00pm

Literary Reading Open Mic by Kultura Arts, with Bob Flor and Troy Osaki

4:30pm-7:00pm

Rizal, Heroes and Martyrs Exhibit and Seminar by SIKLAB, coordinated by Roger Rigor

ARMORY LOFT 2 (ALL-DAY)

  • Photography Exhibit, featuring Leia Maminta Smith with Aldrin Alarilla (Guest Photographer)

ARMORY LOFT 3 (ALL-DAY)

  • Artifacts Exhibit, featuring Burton Holt, artist and artifacts collector
  • Filipino Traditional Tattoo and Ancient Scripts Seminars and Demonstration, featuring Lane Wilcken and Kristian Kabuay

ARMORY LOFT LOBBY (ALL-DAY)

  • Solo Art Exhibit of Noel Bote, visual and installation artist

ARMORY WEST LOBBY (ALL-DAY)

  • Informational & Selling Booths

ARMORY EAST LOBBY (ALL-DAY)

  • Children’s Hands-On Activities by FCS Youth Development Program Team

ARMORY SOUTH COURT (ALL-DAY)

  • Culinary Arts Exhibit, featuring Violet Noriega, author and culinary art specialist.
  • Historical Exhibit, by Dorothy L. Cordova, Ph.D., co-founder and Director of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS).
  • T&T Supermarket Information Booth
  • Information and Merchandise Booths

    EVENT Schedule – Sunday, June 1

    ARMORY STAGE

    Time

    Event

    11:00am-11:30am

    Cordillera and Southern Island Dances, featuring the FACES Dance Group, with Pilar Nable, dance director and choreographer, and the Filipiniana Dance Company with Roger del Rosario, dance instructor and choreographer

    11:30am-11:45am

    Tanging Yaman Veronica Bella

    11:45am-12:00pm

    Philippine Airlines by Randsell M. Vito, PAL Representative

    12:00pm-12:30pm

    Sign Language by the International Deaf Education Association (IDEA)

    12:30pm-1:00pm

    Rural and Maria Clara-inspired Dances, featuring the SAYAW Filipino Folk Dance Troupe.  Patrick Pineda, dance instructor, and Liezel Moraleja Hackett, dance instructor and choreographer

    1:00pm-2:00pm

    Ensemble of Filipino Music by FAAIE Bayanihan Rondalla

    2:00pm-2:30pm

    Various Filipino Songs by the FCS Senior Singers

    2:30pm-3:00pm

    Our Folk Songs and Serenades, featuring the Fil-Am Society Choir, directed by Carmen “Mimi” Pelayre

    3:00pm-3:30pm

    Filipino Folk Dances by the Young Once of IDIC

    3:30pm-4:00pm

    Novelty Line Dances by the IDIC Dance Group

    4:00pm-4:30pm

    Balakiya – Rigor, Teza and Ina

    4:30pm-5:00pm

    Original Filipino Music in Acapella by SinginGang

    5:00pm-5:30pm

    Zumba Moves by the FCS Dazzling Divas

    5:30pm-7:00pm

    Original Filipino Music by Ihaw Ihaw Band

    ARMORY LOFT 1A

    Time

    Event

    11:00am-6:00pm

    DIWA Filipino Film Festival by Adrian Alarilla

    ARMORY LOFT 1B

    Time

    Event

    11:00am-4:00pm

    Rizal, Heroes and Martyrs Exhibit and Seminar by SIKLAB, coordinated by Roger Rigor

    ARMORY LOFT 2 (ALL-DAY)

    • Photography Exhibit, featuring Leia Maminta Smith with Aldrin Alarilla (Guest Photographer)

    ARMORY LOFT 3 (ALL-DAY)

    • Artifacts Exhibit, featuring Burton Holt, artist and artifacts collector
    • Filipino Traditional Tattoo and Ancient Scripts Seminars and Demonstration, featuring Lane Wilcken and Kristian Kabuay

    ARMORY LOFT LOBBY (ALL-DAY)

    • Solo Art Exhibit of Noel Bote, visual and installation artist

    ARMORY WEST BALCONY (ALL-DAY)

    • Informational & Selling Booths

    ARMORY EAST BALCONY (ALL-DAY)

    • Children’s Hands-On Activities by FCS Youth Development Program Team

    ARMORY SOUTH COURT (ALL-DAY)

    • Culinary Arts Exhibit, featuring Violet Noriega, author and culinary art specialist.
    • Historical Exhibit, by Dorothy L. Cordova, Ph.D., co-founder and Director of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS)
    • Philippine Airlines, with Randsell Vito, PAL Representative
    • T&T Supermarket Information Booth
    • Information and Merchandise Booths

    Vendors

    FOOD VENDORS (MURAL ROADWAY / OUTSIDE OF THE ARMORY)

    • 2GuysGrillonWheels
    • 88 Cues
    • Autumn’s Ice Cream
    • Egg Roll Hut
    • Kathmandu MoMocha
    • LBee’s Filipino Deli
    • Taglish Halo Halo
    • Uncle Mike’s Filipino Comfort Food

    RETAIL VENDORS (MURAL ROADWAY / OUTSIDE OF THE ARMORY)

    • Native Creations
    • Valeza Original Anime Streetwear Brand

    View the 2024 highlights below

    Photo Gallery

    OVERVIEW

    Seattle Center Festál presents Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival in partnership with the Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington (FCHSW). The festival celebrates Philippine culture, arts, and history through food, exhibits, performing arts, fashion show, martial arts, and more.

    HISTORY

    The Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington (FCHSW) is a non-profit organization staffed entirely by volunteers. It is committed to nurturing and proudly expressing the finest and all that is beautiful and enduring in the Filipino culture. Its primary objective is to perpetuate, educate and share Filipino culture and heritage with the people of Washington through music, dance, arts, history, literature, and crafts.

    The FCHSW logo is a stylized symbolic rendering of the Sarimanok, one of the greatest mythical symbols in Philippine folk culture. In the southern Philippines, only royalty can use the Sarimanok in their banners or family emblems. The Sarimanok symbolizes prestige, wealth and honor.

    In 1987, FCHSW presented its first festival at the Seattle Center. It was a showcase of Filipino culture timed to coincide with the celebration of Philippine Independence.

    In 1997, Pagdiriwang became one of five ethnic festivals to join Festál, a series of events celebrating the city's various cultures.

    In 1998, the festival and worldwide Filipinos celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence.

    In 2011, the festival reached a milestone of 25 years.

    Since its first festival in 1987, Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival has continuously been held at the Seattle Center.

    DID YOU KNOW?

    • The Philippines, comprising more than 7,100 islands, was a commercial and cosmopolitan hub during pre-colonial times through trade with Asian and Pacific Islander peoples, and had local village governments in place called Balangay.
    • Some significant events in its history are the 333 years of Spanish colonial rule, the 50 years of American occupation and introduction of public education, and 4 major wars - the Filipino-American War, World War 2, Korean War, and Vietnam War.
    • Geographically located as a gateway to the East and mainland Asia, the Philippines adapted to globalization and technology through outsourcing and shipping sectors. With about 460,000 seamen worldwide, Filipinos man the world’s ships more than any other nationality, making the Philippines the main supplier of seamen since 1987.
    • Filipinos speak more than 182 languages, erroneously described as dialects, that are linguistically unique, with four languages officially classified as extinct: Dicamay Agta, Katabaga, Tayabas Ayta and Villaviciosa Agta. The official languages are Filipino, which is Tagalog-based, and English. The Philippine Constitution and laws are in English. There are also major regional languages that include Aklanon, Central Bikol, Cebuano, Chavacano, Hiligaynon, Ibanag, Ilocano, Ivatan, Kapampangan, Kinaray-a, Maguindanao, Maranao, Iranun, Pangasinan, Sambal, Surigaonon, Tagalog, Tausug, Waray, Yakan. There is an indigenous system of writing or scripts called Baybayin.
    • Filipino martial arts are a unique form of practical stick fighting called ‘arnis’. Its most famous practitioner was Bruce Lee.
    • By population, the Philippines is the largest Roman Catholic country in the world and for centuries, prior to the establishment of the country of East Timor, the only Catholic country in Southeast Asia.
    • One creative Filipino invention is the first lunar buggy.
    • One toy with Filipino roots is the yoyo. Pedro Flores started the Yo-yo Manufacturing Company in Santa Barbara in the late 1920’s before selling the company and trademark to Donald Duncan who marketed it as the Duncan line.
    Learn more about Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington (FCHSW).
    Visit Pagdiriwang Website

    Festal Sponsor

    Campus Sponsors