Filipino musician Apl.de.Ap closed out two days of Mabuhay Philippines Festival at Nathan Phillips Square on Aug. 23, drawing crowds to the stage for the final day of the festival.
Festivalgoers sang and danced along as the Black Eyed Peas founding member performed popular hit songs such as “Bebot” and “Let’s get it started”.
Organized by the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC), the festival featured more than 50 vendors alongside cultural performances, a fashion showcase, an art exhibition and live entertainment.
Filipina actress Janine Gutierrez appeared Saturday, while Apl.de.Ap was the main attraction Sunday.
At one point, the audience crowded around the stage, bringing them closer to the performer, whose real name is Allan Pineda Lindo.
His appearance capped a weekend that had been interrupted at times by rain.
PIDC president Tom Tan said Saturday’s weather affected attendance, while rain also kept crowds smaller early Sunday before people returned as conditions improved.
“The issue was the weather, it didn’t co-operate,” Tan said.
“But when the rain stopped, the people came back, so I’m happy.”
For Tan, holding the festival at Nathan Phillips Square gives Filipino culture a prominent platform in one of Toronto’s most recognizable public spaces.
“You have everyone coming through City Hall,” Tan said.
“You get to see the celebration of Filipino arts and culture, and our food, of course.”
As the Filipino Canadian community has grown, Tan said PIDC has also worked more closely with organizations led by younger generations to bring new ideas into the festival.
He hopes the event can encourage Filipino Canadians who grew up in Canada to learn more about where their families came from.
“I want the younger generation to discover and want to go back to the Philippines and, at the same time, rediscover their heritage,” Tan said.
The festival is now going into its 28th year, with Tan crediting PIDC’s volunteers for helping sustain the event.
“Everyone in the group at PIDC is a volunteer,” he said. “We basically do this to serve the community.”
Food was another major draw throughout the weekend, with vendors offering Filipino dishes, desserts and other products.
Annie Cadavona, owner of Mississauga-based Einna’s Cake and Sweets, returned for her fourth year as a vendor, selling Filipino baked goods including hopia and ensaymada.
Cadavona recalled one customer visiting from the United States who tried one of her products before buying six to take home.
“It’s very important because we can show the world that our products are also good,” she said.
Cadavona said the festival has allowed her to meet other vendors who have since become her friends.
For attendees, the food and entertainment also provided reasons to keep coming back.
Ivy Ocon returned for her second year and said she came partly because she lives far from Toronto neighbourhoods with larger Filipino communities and does not often get the chance to eat Filipino food.
“To see Filipino culture again here in Canada, it’s really amazing,” Ocon said, adding that being at the festival brought a sense of nostalgia.
She said she noticed more food stalls and performers this year, but there was one attraction she was looking forward to most.
“Apl.de.Ap,” Ocon said. “For sure.”
For Tan, bringing those different parts of the community together remains central to the festival.
He said he hopes visitors leave remembering the food, entertainment and people they met.
“I hope they had a great time, and maybe they can come back to Mabuhay next year and maybe participate,” Tan 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.
