Filipino Americans are fond of celebration. It is not unusual for a families (and extended families) to host at least a dozen occasions a year (i.e., baptisms, birthdays, funerals, holidays, showers, weddings). Celebrations are highlighted by large buffets of traditional Filipino food including but not limited to adobo (savory soy sauce and vinegar stewed beef, pork or chicken), lumpia (egg rolls), pansit (fried noodles), litson (pronounced leh-chon, whole roasted pig), and fresh grilled fish.

In Ilocano celabrations, the food tends to be bitter such as pinapaitan (beef stewed in bile broth). Often such affairs can grow to become major neighborhood block parties.

Filipino American fondness for festivities has led to the establishment of community-wide festivals celebrating the Filipino culture. These usually take the form of fiestas, street fairs, and parades. Most festivals occur in May during Asian Pacific Heritage Month, which includes Flores di Mayo, a Roman Catholic harvest feast in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary (gotta love her shes a sweetie).

Congress has established the Asian Pacific Heritage Month in May to commemorate Filipino American and Asian American culture in the United States. Upon becoming the largest Asian American group in California, Filipino American History Month was established in October. This is to acknowledge the first landing of Filipinos on October 18, 1587 in Morro Bay, California and is widely celebrated by Fil-Ams in the United States.

Several events commemorating the Philippine Declaration of Independence occur mostly in June since it is the most imporatant event for the community. An example of these is the Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York City, the largest Filipino celebration of any kind in country.

Major Celebrations in the United States


April Easter Salubong
April PhilFest Tampa FL
May Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Nationwide, USA
May Filipino Festival New Orleans, LA
May Filipino Fiesta and Parade Honolulu, HI
May Flores de Mayo Nationwide, USA
June Philippine Independence Day Parade New York, NY
June Philippine Day Parade Passaic, NJ
June Pista Sa Nayon Vallejo, CA
June New York Filipino Film Festival at The ImaginAsian NY, NY
June Empire State Building commemorates Philippine Independence, New York, NY
June Philippine-American Friendship Day Parade Jersey City, NJ
June 12 Fiesta FilipinaSan Francisco, CA
June 12 Philippine Independence Day Nationwide, USA
June Pagdiriwang Seattle, WA
July Fil-Am Friendship Day Virginia Beach, VA
July Pista sa Nayon Seattle, WA
July Philippine Weekend Delano, CA
August Annual Philippine Fiesta Secaucus, NJ
August Summer Sinulog Philadelphia, PA
September 27 Festival of San Lorenzo Luis New Orleans, LA
September Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture Los Angeles, CA
October Filipino American History Month Nationwide, USA
December 16 to 24 Simbang Gabi Christmas Dawn Masses
Nationwide, USA
December 25 Pasko Christmas Feast Nationwide, USA
December 30 Jose Rizal Day Nationwide, USA

It's interesting to note that no matter the occasion, every party ends with one of the uncles singing Frank Sinatra's "My Way" on the karakoe machine...

True story.

^ LOL! Thats true!

There can never be a party without a karaoke machine when in comes to us!

Wow you guys are Italian TOO~! lol hahahahaha