By Maisha Hasan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

This past weekend, Central Park was filled with the wafting scent of Filipino food and the sound of live music as it hosted the annual Taste of Philippines festival, making its Burlington debut after years in Hamilton’s Gage Park.

The festival has been running for ten years, celebrating the Philippines’ Independence Day on June 12. The organizers of the event are passionate about sharing the history and culture of the country, though as they note on their website, “let’s face it, y’all are here for the food.” 

The Taste of Philippines featured live cultural performances, arts and crafts, vendors, and food, from barbequed meat on skewers to kwek kwek (orange battered quail eggs). Attendees also had a chance to win a flight to the Philippines.

The park was populated with an array of Filipino families and friends, as well as non-Filipino attendees, asking around for food recommendations.

Tropang Ilonggo was a popular stop, a food stall boasting a long line of eager customers. The owner, April Cabrias, has been running the stall since 2018 across various cities in Canada.

This is the first time Cabrias has sold in Burlington.

“There’s a lot of Ilonggo people here, saying ‘hi’ and [meeting] people that came from the same city. We connected, and somehow we shared a lot of stories from back home,” Cabrias said. 

The Ilonggo, also known as the Hiligaynon people, are one of many ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines. While Tagalog could be heard at the Taste of Philippines, so too could other languages from the country.

Those working at the festival say the support from Burlington’s Filipino community has been encouraging. Elissa Cayanan has been working at one of the pitched tents all weekend, hearing festival-goers’ questions and sharing her thoughts about the event. 

“[Attendees] said it’s their first time and they love it. They’re really surprised that they hold an event like this for Filipinos,” Cayanan noted. “The singers, the DJ, [and] the food have all been so fun. You never know what would happen, but it would be nice to have an event like this again [in] Burlington.” 

For more information, visit the Taste of Philippines Facebook page or website, myhip.ca.