Mabuhay Fil-Can Inc. will host the first-ever Mabuhay Festival Kingston on June 14 at Confederation Park, bringing together Filipino and multicultural performers, food vendors, and community groups in celebration of Filipino Heritage Month.
The free festival will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is expected to attract visitors from Kingston, Ont. and neighbouring communities, including Brockville, Cornwall, Belleville, and Trenton.
Organizers say the event aims to celebrate Filipino culture while creating a space that welcomes people from all backgrounds.
“It’s a festival for all,” said Mabuhay Fil-Can Inc. president Nenita Haig.
The inaugural festival marks a milestone for Kingston’s Filipino community, giving local residents an opportunity to celebrate Filipino culture on a larger scale while introducing it to the wider public.
Organizers hope the event will become an annual tradition and help strengthen connections among communities throughout eastern Ontario.
Founded in 2003, Mabuhay Fil-Can Inc. was established by some of Kingston’s earliest Filipino immigrants who wanted to create a sense of community and belonging for newcomers arriving in the city.
Over the past two decades, the organization has organized social gatherings and outreach initiatives while helping Filipino Canadians maintain connections to their heritage.
Filipino community in Kingston
The festival comes as Kingston’s Filipino community continues to grow.
According to Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census, 1,050 Kingston residents identified as Filipino, up from 750 in 2016.
The increase reflects the growing presence of Filipino Canadians in the city and the demand for spaces where community members can gather and celebrate their culture.
Haig said the festival reflects the organization’s growing commitment to both cultural celebration and community service.
“I introduced (the concept) to them: why don’t we have something like a cause? Not only (are we) going out for fun, but (we’re) doing something for the community,” she said.
Since expanding its charitable efforts, Mabuhay Fil-Can Inc. has partnered with local organizations, including Kingston Interval House and food bank initiatives.
The organization has also organized donation drives and outreach efforts intended to encourage volunteerism among both adults and youth.
“We’re trying to make people feel empathy. It’s not just about work. It’s about community and helping others,” Haig said.
New Leadership
The idea for a large-scale public festival emerged shortly after a new leadership team took office and began discussing ways to raise the organization’s profile while sharing Filipino culture with the wider community.
Organizers spent nearly a year planning the event, securing sponsors, recruiting volunteers, and coordinating performers and vendors from across the region.
“We’ve been doing this hard work for the last nine months,” Haig said.
Unlike many major community festivals, Mabuhay Festival Kingston was organized without government grant funding.
“We don’t have a grant. We relied on our sponsors. We relied on help from anybody and volunteers,” Haig said.
Visitors can expect a full day of live entertainment, cultural showcases, exhibits, family-friendly activities, and food.
Filipino cuisine and street food will be featured alongside vendors from different backgrounds, while performers from Kingston and neighbouring communities will take the stage throughout the day.
A Festival for All
“We have Portuguese, Mexican, Thai, and Indian performers and food vendors. It’s not only Filipino,” Haig said.
Among the featured attractions is Filipino singer Dessa, who will travel from Las Vegas to perform at the festival.
Organizers say cultural presentations from several communities will further highlight the event’s emphasis on diversity and inclusion.
Haig said the multicultural nature of the festival reflects Kingston’s diversity and the organization’s desire to build connections between communities.
“I want people all over Kingston and nearby cities to know that Mabuhay is for all. This event is not just for Filipinos,” she said.
For Haig, the festival represents the beginning of what she hopes will become a long-standing Kingston tradition.
Organizers have spent months building partnerships, recruiting volunteers, and securing sponsors to bring the event to life.
The response from businesses, community groups, and cultural organizations has encouraged the organizing committee as the festival approaches.
“We want everyone to come together for this long-awaited event,” Haig said.
Luis Miguel De Castro is a Changing Narratives Fund-Local Journalism Initiative reporter at Mabuhay Canada and a journalism graduate at Humber Polytechnic in Toronto. Originally from the Philippines, he is passionate about community storytelling, multimedia journalism, and amplifying Filipino voices through meaningful local coverage.
