Filipino culture showcased
- Details
- Published on Thursday, August 18, 2016
By Kira Paterson
Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press
For those who didn’t make it out to Folklorama in Winnipeg this year, there is still a chance to take in another culture without the two hour drive and city traffic. On Saturday, Aug. 27, members of St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in Neepawa are putting on a Filipino Cultural Festival at the Yellowhead Hall.
The event is modeled after the Folklorama pavilions and is meant to educate people about the culture from which many of the town’s newer residents came. The evening, which begins at 6:00 pm, will include two shows, several cultural displays and a variety of Filipino food to try.
The shows, starting at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm, are a display of dance and music, with a narration that talks about some of the history, culture and lifestyles of the Philippines. There are about 50 participants in the shows, including a big group of kids. They have been practicing daily to get their routines perfected for the night.
Each cultural display will have a presenter who will be there to describe their topics and answer questions. Display topics range from traditional dresses, to geography, to climate and even some traditional crafts.
The ticket cost includes not only admission, but also samples of the different kinds of food, so attendees can try it all and then buy more of what they know they like.
After the 9:00 pm show is over, there will also be an after party. There will be music to dance to and possibly some karaoke, or people can just hang out and chat until midnight.
Tickets will be available at the door and can also be purchased early from either St. Dominic’s Church or ArtsForward. They are hoping to sell about 500 tickets and all proceeds will go to the St. Dominic’s “Raise the Roof” fundraiser, which goes towards a new roof for the building. It was discovered that the roof would need to be replaced when the church was going to get new shingles. The estimated cost of the job is $700,000 and they have been fundraising to help pay for it since last fall.
Having put a lot of work into props and costumes, St. Dominic’s is hoping to make this cultural festival an annual event, similar to the Ukrainian festival that Dauphin does every year. Once the church’s roof is completely paid off, the proceeds will go to different projects each year.
