Kalayaan 2023
Kalayaan is FILCAS’s annual flag raising ceremony recognizing Philippines Independence Day and is part of Filipino Heritage Month in June as declared by the City of Saskatoon. 2023 marks 125 years of Philippines as an independent country, and also marks the 50th anniversary of FILCAS as the umbrella organization for the Filipino community in Saskatchewan.
Join us as we raise the Philippines flag at Saskatoon City hall, hear from special guests, be entertained with cultural dances, and feast in a Filipino boodle-style potluck. Bring your own food or purchase a meal from one of the participating Filipino restaurants offering 15% discount to FILCAS members. Just show your FILCAS membership card and photo ID.
FOLKFEST 2023
Experience all the fun, food and festivities that the Philippines has to offer. 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of FILCAS with year-long celebrations continuing at this year’s Folkfest!
Be entertained by the Kumintang FolkDance Ensemble (KFE) as they showcase the strength, grace, beauty and energy of traditional Philippine dances, including a new cultural dance taught by internationally-trained Patrick Alcedo from York University. This year’s entertainment also features hip hop dance group, Flip Kidz; talented Filipino singers and bands; DJs spinning sounds; and the return of a Filipino fashion show, parade and Sikaran martial arts demonstrations! And for the first time, local Filipino drag queens will be joining our cultural stage!
This year’s Mini Merkado features a wider variety of food from local Filipino restaurants. Savour Filipino cuisine favourites such as pork inihaw (skewered BBQ pork), pancit (rice noodles), and lumpia shanghai (spring rolls). And try new items such as siopao (meat-filled steamed buns), adobong baboy (marinated pork belly), lechon (roasted pork or chicken available), lumpiang sariwa (fresh vegetable rolls), siomai (steamed dumplings) and more. Indulge your sweet tooth with karioka (coconut mochi donuts), turon (deep fried banana rolls), ginataang bilo-bilo (glutinous rice balls in coconut milk), leche flan (custard), taho (sweet tofu and tapioca), mango float (icebox cake) and halo halo (shaved ice dessert). And don’t forget the ice cream! And for those 19+, quench your thirst with a Manila Sunset cocktail, San Miguel beer or a full-flavoured lager Red Horse beer.