8 Things to do at Carassauga Festival’s Filipino Pavilion

The deep sound of kulintang instruments fill your ears as you enter the Philippines Pavilion at the Carassauga Festival held annually in May, located in Mississauga.

Hailed as Canada’s largest multicultural festival, the event started in the fall of 1985 when Mississauga’s former mayor Hazel McCallion challenged cultural groups to organize a multicultural festival for public awareness and appreciation of different cultures in Canada.

The festival has grown throughout the years, and this year’s line-up includes 25 pavilions representing a variety of countries from Armenia to Vietnam. Vendors, art, historical displays, food, shows and performances across 11 stages and pavilions take place during the three-day event.

Inside the Philippines Pavilion, a paper mache lechon (roast pig) being “cooked” in front of a sari-sari (variety) store greet visitors, complete with small sachets of shampoo and individual items hanging from the bamboo walls of the store.

Pennants hang from posts, with vendors selling Filipino food, traditional terno dresses, capiz frames, various seashells and pasalubong items (souvenirs).

Onstage, performers from Filipino dance troupe Culture Philippines of Ontario dance non-stop for an hour, as they present a variety of dance styles from the northern part of the Philippines (Igorot dances), the Maria Clara dance style and the Muslim-influenced singkil dance from the south.

It’s not hard to imagine you’re back in the Philippines taking part in one of the many fiestas happening all over the country.

For homesick Filipinos in Canada, the Carassauga Festival’s Filipino pavilion truly captures every Pinoy’s heart with its sights, sounds, taste and smell as it rekindles priceless memories of our homeland.

For Filipinos born here in Canada, the festival gives a small but mighty dose of Filipino culture.

Here are the Top 8 Things to do at Carassauga Festival’s Philippines Pavilion:

1. Watch the performances.

There’s no doubt about it: the most exciting part of the festival is the Filipino dances presented on stage.

You’ll see dancers from all age groups–even the littlest ones show attitude and sass–as they challenge you with a haughty look, shrug their shoulders up and down, or dazzle you with their biggest, warmest smiles.

Take a seat as close as possible to the stage to take in the amazing performances.

Stay right to the end of the performance to watch the thrilling singkil dance, when various dancers expertly tiptoe across two bamboo poles being smashed together, narrowly missing their feet every time.

With chins held up high and with snobby looks on their faces, the dancers showcase Filipino pride in its most beautiful form. And why shouldn’t they be haughty? The dance is challenging, thrilling and an absolute joy to watch.

And oh, hold your breath as a female dancer from the north balance not just one, not even three, but NINE pots on her head. Ah-mazing!

2. Try Filipino food.

FV Foods was the sole food vendor at the festival, but there was enough variety of Filipino items to be had from lumpia (egg rolls) to bananacue (fried, caramelized bananas on a stick) and drinks like gulaman.

3. Bring the kids to a Pabitin Game.

Pabitin is a common parlour game in the Philippines where candy, chips or toys are hung on strings and lowered intermittently from a pole, as children try to reach and grab the prizes.

The Philippines Pavilion has a children’s play area and organizers hold a pabitin game after the first hour of performances.

4. Admire, or better yet, buy Filipino traditional dresses.

A handful of vendors sell traditional terno dresses, the Barong Tagalog for men and other textiles from the Philippines.

Some of the terno dresses are handpainted, and sell for over $100 each. There are diffferent variations of the terno, including bolero-style, see-through versions in vivid colours such as gold, reds and blues.

5. Check out historical Filipino attires.

Right near the entrance of the Philippines Pavilion, you’ll see three sets of mannequins wearing traditional Filipino attire representing the Northern tribes of the Philippines, the Maria-Clara style of clothing from Manila, and the Muslim-inspired clothing from the Southern part of the Philippines.

6. Buy some Filipino pasalubongs (souvenirs) such as small Manny Pacquiao boxing gloves, seashells and baskets.

One of the vendors sold interesting seashells, coin purses made from frogs, puffer fish decor, capiz photo frames and other knick-knacks from the Philippines.

And yes, they also carry the famous “barrel man”, a well-known cheeky souvenir from Baguio City.

7) Enjoy the fiesta atmosphere.

From the sight of pennants hanging above you, to the smell of delicious Filipino food, to the sounds of a live Filipino band performing kundiman music, the Philippines Pavilion has captured the festive fiesta atmosphere of the Philippines. Enjoy being surrounded by Philippine culture.

8) Support the vendors.

Most, if not all the vendors, come out selling their wares only at certain Filipino festivals.

Catch them while you can…you may have to wait another year to find them and buy that pasalubong, that little taste of the Philippines you’ve been missing for a long time.