The month of June marks Filipino Heritage Month in Canada, home to a Filipino-Canadian community of nearly one million people. The celebrations are already under way in Scarborough, where the Pinoy Fiesta and Trade Show has drawn crowds for its opening days and turned a corner of the city into a hub of Filipino culture for the weekend.
People gathered to watch cultural performances during the first days of the local event, turning the venue into a lively showcase of Filipino music, dance and tradition. For many in attendance, it was a chance to share a piece of home with neighbours and to introduce others to a culture that forms a sizable part of the city's fabric.
Beyond the stage, the fiesta also took on the feel of a bustling marketplace. Vendors sold clothes as well as Filipino delicacies, including barbecue skewers, giving attendees a chance to taste the food that sits at the heart of the celebration and to pick up goods tied to the community's traditions.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow was among those in attendance, and she spoke about some of her own favourite foods from the Philippines. She described the event as a way to celebrate Filipino culture, heritage, language, tradition and good food, framing it as something that belongs to the whole city rather than just one community.
Asked whether she had tried any of the food on offer, Chow said she normally has the skewers, along with some siomai and some tea. She added that she was lining up to get her share just like everyone else at the fiesta, a small detail that underscored the relaxed, communal mood of the gathering.
For anyone who missed the festivities, the event is not over yet. It runs again the following day until about 9 p.m., offering another full day of performances, food and community for Toronto's Filipino-Canadian residents and the many visitors who turn out to take part in the celebration.