Mabuhay Festival: Showcasing Filipino Arts and Culture

Mabuhay Festival: Showcasing Filipino Arts and Culture

Mabuhay! Philippines Festival
Presented by Luminus Financial
Aug. 16-18, 2013

A three-day festival showcasing Filipino arts and culture

TORONTO–Immerse in the sights, sounds and tastes of the Philippines at Harbourfront Centre. The Mabuhay! Philippines Festival, a signature event of the Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) returns to the heart of Toronto’s waterfront (Aug. 16-18) with a three-day festival showcasing Filipino arts and culture.

At Mabuhay!, patrons can experience the different regions of the Philippines; each with its own distinct dialect, costumes, folklore, traditions and cuisine. This year’s festival theme, “Ang Pinagmulan,” focuses on the evolution of art, music, dance, fashion and culinary arts and how it continues to influence Filipino culture today.

Festival highlights:

* Mabuhay! Master Chef Cook-Off, where professional and amateur chefs compete for the best interpretation of traditional Philippine dishes;

* Dance performances by the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe in Ang Pinagmulan, a segment that highlights various regions of the Philippines and blends both fashion and Philippine indigenous dance;

* Live music performances from HotKiss, JDL School of Performing Arts, Breeding Grounds & Krossover, and a Mabuhay! Philippines Acoustic Music in Exhibition Common;

* And much more!

Complete festival listings: media.harbourfrontcentre.com/mediaDisplay.php?id=1201

For additional information and complete event listings, the public may visit harbourfrontcentre.com or call the Information Hotline at 416-973-4000. Harbourfront Centre is located at 235 Queens Quay West in the heart of downtown Toronto’s waterfront. For information about getting here during the Queens Quay revitalization, visit harbourfrontcentre.com/gettinghere

ABOUT HARBOURFRONT CENTRE SUMMER SEASON

Harbourfront Centre is a Canadian charity operating the 10 prime acres of Toronto’s central waterfront as a free and open public site. We celebrate the multiplicities of cultures that comprise Canada and enliven the city through the creative imaginations of artists from across the country and around the globe. Harbourfront Centre attracts more than 17 million visits to its site each year to experience 4,000 diverse public events and activities. Harbourfront Centre receives operational support from the Government of Canada and the City of Toronto and program funding from all levels of government, the private sector and individual donors.

For more information contact:
Althea Linton
416-973-4428
alinton@harbourfrontcentre.com
Follow us on Twitter @harbourfrontTO

To unsubscribe from Harbourfront Centre’s media database, please email: media_relations_dpt@harbourfrontcentre.com

Event Listings

MUSIC

DJ Jrex the Decks
Friday, Aug. 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. – Redpath Stage
DJ Jrex the Decks takes the stage spinning music at DJ Deep Fried Fridays while serving up a slice of musical love with a side of lumpia, Filipino style egg rolls that are sure to satisfy!

Belinda Corpuz
Friday, Aug. 16 at 8:30 p.m. – Lakeside Terrace
Belinda has won several awards for singing such as the very first “Pinoy Idol” and most recently the Governor General Lincoln Alexander award for excellence in youth.  She and her band perform several jazz hits including some Filipino classics.

HotKiss
Friday, Aug. 16 from 9 to 9:45 p.m. – WestJet Stage
Toronto-based band led by Scott Dion Brown, former Philippine Independence Day Council (PIDC) Mr. Philippines, performs rock ‘n’ roll cover versions plus original compositions that get the audience in the mood for rockin’. HotKiss has earned a reputation for having dynamic and entertaining live shows.

DJ Mensa and Jessica David
Friday, Aug. 16 from 10 to 11 p.m. – WestJet Stage
Being a part of the DJ music scene for years, DJ Mensa (a.k.a. Dustin P.) has made appearances on MuchVibe, Rap City, MTV Select and CBC. R&B diva Jessica David (a.k.a. Mis David) got her start as one of the finalists of the first season of Canadian Idol. DJ Mensa and Jessica David are mixing their unique sounds and bringing them to the WestJet Stage.

Mga Kabataang Talento “The Champions”
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 12 to 12:30 p.m. – Redpath Stage
This segment features the winners of the annual Canadian Multicultural Council of Asians in Ontario (CMC) talent search. This year, it was a clean sweep with the Filipino-Canadian community taking the top three spots; featuring Jasmine Ragual (3rd), Nicole Datol (2nd) and Grand Champion Camille Mendoza.

DJ Tijam, Ivy Joy Maniquiz
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 1 to 1:45 p.m. – Redpath Stage
DJ Tijam was a grand finalist of one of the most prestigious singing competitions in the Philippines, “Star in a Million.” Ivy Joy Maniquez was trained by Ryan Cayabyab and has toured Europe with the world-renowned UST Singers of the Philippines. Together, these two singers bring a powerhouse performance that is sure to stop people in their tracks.

Mabuhay! Philippines Acoustic Music in Exhibition Common
Saturday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 18 from 2 to 5 p.m. – Exhibition Common

The Muso Project
Acoustic trio, The Muso Project, performs contemporary songs with their own style and interpretation.

Ryan Flores
With just his guitar, Ryan Flores catches attention at Yorkdale Subway Station as one of the approved performers by the TTC.  Don’t miss some of his own compositions at Ontario Square.

Janelle Lois
Janelle performs a mix of cover songs and original compositions with her own acoustic flair.

The Noodle Squad Band
The trio Justin, Gerald and Ryan only need a guitar and a beatbox to get people to groove.

Sari-Saring Musika (A Variety of Music)
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. – Redpath Stage
Seasoned performer Chyrell Samson leads a group of Filipino-Canadians down a musical journey that introduces their audience to classic songs that Filipinos all over the world are familiar with.

Partida Band
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 6:30 to 7 p.m. – Redpath Stage
Led by Nathan Peralta, this group of musicians is set to make Harbourfront Centre’s audiences feel like they are at a Filipino street party. Sit back and enjoy a little bit of rock and soul.

Emilio Zarris Tribute to George Canseco
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 7:30 to 8 p.m. – Redpath Stage
Emilio is a multi-talented artist who can sing pop, R&B, soul, rock, gospel, classical, opera and more.  For his festival performance, he is paying tribute to one of the most prolific song writers the Philippines has ever known – George Canseco.

Salamat Musika (Thank You Music)
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 8 to 8:30 p.m. – WestJet Stage
The Josie de Leon school of Music (JDL) students present the history of music.  With harana, manila sound, Filipino hip-hop, pinoy rap and top 40 music, JDL showcases all the different Filipino sounds.

“Mga Kantang Minamahal” Songs we love with Joey Albert
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 8 to 8:45 p.m. – WestJet Stage
Sit back and enjoy classic Filipino songs sung my one of the greatest Filipina voices the Philippines have ever produced, Joey Albert. She is performing some of her greatest hits as well as classic interpretations of songs that generations of Filipinos know and love.

Iba Ibang Wika (Different Languages)
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 1 to 1:45 p.m. – Redpath Stage
The Philippines, being a land of over 7100 islands, communicate through hundreds of different dialects; all with their own unique sound. Iba Ibang Wika features songs from the various provinces spoken in a number of different dialects. Artists include Amsky Ramos Chan, one of “Toronto’s Divas,” Isagani Castillo, also known as Bong Castillo and Jhoana De La Rosa Valdez, educated classical and pop singer.

Breeding Grounds & Krossover
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 1:45 to 3 p.m. – WestJet Stage
Breeding Grounds is a fusion Filipino band mixing hard rock, grunge and Original Pilipino Music (OPM). Join them on the West Jet stage to get reacquainted with old-fashioned Philippine nightclub entertainment. KrossOver is a band that mixes reggae, rock and Original Pilipino Music. They were featured in the television series “Barkada” which debuted on GMA Pinoy Network.

Diva to Diva with Josie de Leon and Chiqui Pineda
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 5 to 6 p.m. – Redpath Stage
Diva to Diva is a classic duel of two powerful voices battling it out for singing supremacy. As the name implies, this segment will see Josie de Leon and Chiqui Pineda, two of the best vocalists in the Filipino-Canadian community, trade song after song to see who can outlast the other.

DANCE

Team AEON, MPz and G Power
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 2 to 2:30 p.m. – WestJet Stage
A jam packed performance from one of Toronto’s premier break dancing groups, Team AEON, all-girl dance group G Power and hip-hop artists MPz gets the crowd moving and grooving to their interactive dance routines.

Ang Pinagmulan
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 9 to 10:30 p.m. – WestJet Stage
This beautifully choreographed presentation combines dances from various regions of the Philippines and blends both fashion and Philippine indigenous dance. Dances are performed by the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe, an organization that has been entertaining audiences throughout the world for over 47 years. Fashion highlighted in the show are created and designed by world renowned designer Renee Salud and Filipino-Canadian Shanon Pamaong.

Shanon Pamaong
Formerly based in Toronto, Shanon Pamaong is a well-known Filipino designer who established the country’s top fashion design school – the Fashion Institute of the Philippines, which has become the training ground for the country’s top fashion designers.

Renee Salud
Salud became well-known in the 1980’s for designing costumes for reigning beauty queens. As one of the Philippine’s top designers, Salud is famous for his labour intensive masterpieces, which represent a fashion statement on the exotic and regional influences of indigenous tribes

Filcore Dance
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. – Redpath Stage
One of the biggest contributions Filipino-Canadians have to Canada is the Overseas Foreign Worker (OFW).  The Filcore Organizations features talented OFWs in a dance number that pays tribute to their native land.

Flores de Mayo and Parade of Fiestas
Saturday, Aug 17 at 3:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 18 from 3 to 5 p.m. – Redpath Stage
Not one, but two parades are happening over the course of the three-day festival. Saturday afternoon features “Flores de Mayo” or Flowers of May – an annual month-long celebration in the Philippines that represents different virtues of the Virgin Mary. The Parade of Fiestas is a depiction of various festivals celebrated year round in different regions of the Philippines; each fiesta celebrates something unique and indigenous to the location it is held in.

Culture of Philippines of Ontario
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 4 to 5 p.m. – WestJet Stage
Culture Philippines of Ontario (CPO) has been the host of the annual Carassauga Festival of Cultures in Mississauga since 1985 and Filipino Day at Canada’s Wonderland since 2001.  They bring with them a youthful interpretation of traditional Philippine folk dances from various regions of the Philippines.

FOOD

Mabuhay! Master Chef Cook-Off
Semi-Finals – Saturday, Aug. 18 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. and 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Finals – Sunday, Aug. 19 from 5 – 6:30 p.m. – Brigantine Room
Professional and amateur chefs compete for the best interpretation of traditional Philippine dishes. Judges include Chef Fern Aracama, multi-award winner and current television show judge for Master Chef Pinoy Edition.

FILM

The End of Immigration (followed by director Q&A)
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. – Studio Theatre
The one-hour documentary, The End of Immigration, uncovers a trend that is having a profound impact on the society in which we live; there can be citizens with full rights, and “rent-a-workers” with few or none. By comparing the situation of these temporary workers with that of their own parents who arrived in Canada as unskilled workers in the last century, the filmmakers uncover a hidden world that’s as close as the MacDonald’s on the corner. And they ask the crucial question: is this the kind of society we want to build?

Graceland
Saturday, Aug. 17 from 8 to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 18 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.  – Studio Theatre
In this unpredictable and tightly-paced thriller, family man Marlon Villar — a long-time chauffeur to corrupt Filipino politician Manuel Chango — is faced with an unthinkable predicament when he is ambushed while driving both his boss’s and his own daughter home from school one afternoon. As events spin wildly out of control, Marlon, Chango and their families are forced into a rapid downward spiral of deceit and betrayal that leaves no one innocent.?

The Sugar Bowl
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. – Studio Theatre
An aging socialite, a permanent cultural figure and a progressive farmer take us through the rise and fall of an island in the Philippines and its sugarcane industry. Stunning images paint a portrait of a charming place struggling with its past and trying to move into the future.

Foreign Domestics: The Right to Stay
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. – Studio Theatre
A story of six courageous Filipina domestic workers in the winter of 1981 that changed the labour and immigration laws of Canada forever.

Short Films by Mark Lawrence Esguerra
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Studio Theatre
Freelance director, producer, videographer and editor Mark Lawrence Esguerra, showcases a feature of short films.

FAMILY/WORKSHOPS

Combat Science
Saturday, Aug. 17 and Sunday, Aug. 18 from 12:30 to 1 p.m. – Redpath Stage
Combat Science is a traditional Filipino martial arts school that teaches students how to use traditional weaponry. The demonstration shows the unique hand-combat techniques using rattan sticks called “arnis.”

Arnis Martial Arts Demonstration
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 12 to 12:30 p.m. – Redpath Stage
A demonstration by the Classical Martial Arts Centre of Mississauga of classical strikes and blocks with the blade and stick, knife skills, disarms and locks using the traditional Filipino Martial Arts technique called “arnis.”

Pamahiin at Alamat with Regina Simon
Sunday, Aug. 18 from 2 to 2:45 p.m. – Redpath Stage
Regina Simon, veteran stage performer, offers her version of old fashion Philippine beliefs and superstitions on love, marriage and having children.

(PRESS RELEASE)