President's Message

Greetings and welcome to the 40th annual Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival at the Seattle Center! See you all at the Armory Building, Seattle Center, June 6 – 7, 2026. The festival hours are 11 am – 7 pm, both days. This event is free to the public.

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This year’s theme “Baliktanaw” literally means a look back. We look to the past to understand and contextualize our traditions and culture, keeping our eyes toward the future, the continuity of those traditions, and the strengthening of our character as Filipinos and citizens of the world.

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We commemorate the 128th anniversary of Philippine independence through onstage performances, songs and drama-musicals, workshops about national hero Rizal, poetry-literary readings, film showings, art, photography, and artifacts exhibits, tattoo and martial arts workshops. Of course, food and vendor opportunities all over.

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We thank and honor as well our steadfast and committed volunteers who have been with us through the decades without whom the Pagdiriwang Festival would not have been the largest indoor art and culture festival in the Pacific Northwest. Excellent job all around!

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Organizing this event, however, entails costs. Public and private funding for cultural heritage activities are not known for their size and generosity, but they help us defray operations expenses. I cannot therefore overemphasize the value that volunteerism within our community and our partner organizations allow us to put together a package of activities showcasing our rich Filipino cultural heritage.

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Mabuhay and welcome to the 40th annual Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival.