Mabuhay Canada Media Inc., a Filipino online culture hub, will present the first Jeepney Festival on Friday, Sept. 25, from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 26, from noon to 8 p.m. at Maranatha Church, 100 College St. West in Belleville.
The free, ticketed indoor festival will give families from across the Quinte region and eastern Ontario an opportunity to experience Filipino culture through food, art, film, music, dance and interactive activities while building stronger connections among Filipino and non-Filipino communities.
Inspired by the Philippines’ colourful jeepneys, the country’s iconic form of public transportation, the festival carries the theme “A Journey Through the Philippines: One Jeepney Ride at a Time.”
Like a jeepney ride, the event will bring people from different backgrounds together and invite them to share stories, traditions and community experiences.
“Jeepney Festival is an opportunity for Filipinos to celebrate their heritage while inviting the wider community to discover the richness and diversity of the Philippines,” said festival organizer and Mabuhay Canada founder Yona Harvey.
“We want people to feel welcome, learn something new and leave with a stronger sense of connection.”
The festival opens Friday evening at 6 p.m. with a Filipino art exhibition featuring works by the Philippine Artists Group of Canada. The program will also include a screening of Outsiderness, a film by Filipino filmmaker Carlo Alcos exploring identity, culture and belonging.
Saturday’s full-day celebration will feature Filipino food vendors and a community marketplace, along with cultural dance performances by Culture Philippines of Ontario, Filipino singers and dancers, local Belleville performers, a talent show by Little Miss Philippines Kingston, a high-energy Zumba session and a pandesal-eating contest.
Visitors can also enjoy traditional Filipino games, a Filipino authors roundtable by members of Salaysay Collective, a parol (Filipino lantern) workshop, a karaoke contest and open-mic karaoke.
The Quinte Local Immigration Partnership will lead an immigration presentation alongside Toronto’s Kababayan Multicultural Centre, creating space for discussion about newcomer experiences, inclusion and the challenges facing immigrants in the region.
A Baybayin calligraphy demonstration will introduce visitors to one of the Philippines’ pre-colonial writing systems. Baybayin was used in parts of the Philippines before Spanish colonization and is now experiencing a cultural revival among Filipinos interested in reconnecting with their history, language and identity. Festival visitors will have an
opportunity to see how Baybayin characters are written and learn more about their cultural significance.
The festival builds on the spirit of Belleville’s former Waterfront Multicultural Festival. With a million Filipinos calling Canada home, they are one of Canada’s largest and fastest-growing communities.
Admission is free, but tickets are required. Attendees can register by visiting MabuhayCanada.org.
For information, vendor or sponsorship opportunities, email info@mabuhaycanada.org.
