Fil-Am Community in San Francisco Spreads Cheer in 26th Annual Pistahan Parade, Festival
Consul General to San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto Jr. (foreground) addressed the crowd before the start of the 26th Pistahan Parade at the Civic Center Plaza infront of the San Francisco City Hall on 10 August 2019. Behind him are local government officials: California Senator Scott Weiner (third from right), San Mateo Supervisor David Canepa (sixth from right), and Filipino-American elected officials: California Assemblyman Rob Bonta (fourth from right), Daly City Mayor Ray Buenaventura (fifth from right), Daly City Council Member and former Mayor Juslyn Manalo (second from right), and City of South San Francisco Council Member Buenaflor Nicolas. (San Francisco PCG photo)
SAN FRANCISCO 15 August 2019 — Members of the Filipino-American community in San Francisco and the Bay Area participated in the 26th Pistahan Parade and Festival, the largest Filipino-American celebration in the United States West Coast, on 10 and 11 August 2019 at the Yerba Buena Gardens.
Consul General to San Francisco Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. Various arts and cultural groups, youth groups, and local politicians in the parade.
California Senator Scott Weiner, San Mateo Supervisor David Canepa, and Filipino-American elected officials California Assemblyman Rob Bonta, Daly City Mayor Ray Buenaventura, Daly City Council Member and former Mayor Juslyn Manalo, and City of South San Francisco Council Member Buenaflor Nicolas joined in the parade.
This year’s theme, “Crossing Barriers and Bridging Cultures,” which is aligned with the Consulate General’s Spark*Connect*Empower (SCE) movement that aims to spark love and passion among all Filipinos, including those of Filipino lineage, for their Filipino culture and heritage; connect them with one another; and empower them as individuals and as a community.
Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco officers and staff and their families also participated in the parade, which began at the Civic Center and ended at Yerba Buena Gardens.
The Consulate General’s booth at the Yerba Buena Gardens promoted the tourism destinations of the Philippines.
The two-day event attracted around 50,000 people throughout the Bay Area. Pistahan showcased Filipino talent, food, arts, innovation, dance and health pavilions. The two-day festivities culminated in a concert called “TFC Hour,” featuring ABS-CBN artists Billy Crawford and Morrisette Amon. END
Consul General Bensurto led the ribbon cutting ceremony the 26th Pistahan Parade at the Civic Center Plaza infront of the San Francisco City Hall on 10 August 2019. With the Conmsular General are local government officials: California Senator Scott Weiner, San Mateo Supervisor David Canepa, and Filipino-American elected officials: California Assemblyman Rob Bonta, Daly City Mayor Ray Buenaventura, Daly City Council Member and former Mayor Juslyn Manalo, and City of South San Francisco Council Member Buenaflor Nicolas. (San Francisco PCG photo)
Consul General Bensurto led the 26th Pistahan Parade as this year’s Grand Marshall. The parade begun at the Civic Center Plaza and ended at the Yerba Buena Gardens on 10 August 2019. Following him in the parade are the Consulate General contingent in red, white, and blue Spark*Connect*Empower (SCE) shirts with matching SCE caps, and marched down Mission Street to SCE jingle on a gleeful choreography. (San Francisco PCG photo)
The Consul General addresses the crowd at the Yerba Buena Gardens after the 26th Pistahan Parade on 10 August 2019. (San Francisco PCG photo)