Seattle Center Festal Presents Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival 6/5-6

Celebrate Filipino independence at Seattle Center Festál: Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival, an annual celebration of the arts and culture of the Philippines, June 5 - 6; Sat., 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., and Sun., 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., in Center House and Mural Amphitheatre.

Pagdiriwang commemorates the end of Spanish rule in 1898 and highlights the beauty of the country and its people with pageantry, music, dance, food, children"s activities, drill teams, rock bands, Filipino literature, exhibits and martial arts.

Opening ceremony participants include Kendee Yamaguchi, director of the Commission of Asian Pacific American Affairs (CAPAA), representing Gov. Christine Gregoire, Congressman Jim McDermott, Philippine Consul Alfonso Ver and Filipino-American entertainer Sluggo Rigor.

The festival features actor-singer Ronald Bregendahl, local bands and singers in a musical jam, a dance extravaganza, Filipino variety show, ethnic fashion show and a literary-musical contest.

Artists Grandier Bella and daughter Gemina from the Philippines join two local young artists in an art exhibit. Film workshops focus on the beauty of the Philippines and feature a screening of the highly acclaimed film "Muro Ami." A naturalization ceremony is held on June 6. Closing out the two-day event is the much-anticipated Filipino Youth Activities drill team.

The 22 Festál cultural celebrations highlight The Common forms of tradition and expression among ethnic communities in the Pacific Northwest, while underscoring their unique creative contributions, customs, foods and ideals. Our 2010 'did you know' will explore some of these commonalities and differences.

Did you know? The colors of the Filipino culture are red, white and blue.The most popular foods include Adobo, pancit, lumpia, pinakbet and Kare-Kare. The culture"s greatest sources of cultural pride are the diversity of cultures and ethnicities, local dances and costumes. Farming and fisheries comprise the main livelihoods of the Philippines.

Seattle Center Festál: Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival is presented by Seattle Center in partnership with the Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington. For more information on Seattle Center Festál and other Seattle Center programming, click on www.seattlecenter.com or call 206 684-7200.

About Seattle Center Festál

Seattle Center Festál, a series of 22 world festivals presented at Seattle Center on weekends throughout 2010, highlights the distinct cultures and common threads of ethnic communities in our region through traditional and contemporary art, music, foods, youth activities, workshops and more. This collection of cultural events is produced with the generous support of Wells Fargo, Verizon Wireless and KUOW 94.9 Public Radio. Additional support is provided by Seattle Center Foundation and the City of Seattle.

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