Thousands gather for Pinoy Festival in Burnaby as Filipino community reflects, rebuilds

Thousands of people filled Swangard Stadium in Burnaby on Saturday for the 2025 Pinoy Festival — a daylong celebration of Filipino culture that organizers say is the largest of its kind in Canada.

The festival comes seven weeks after the Lapu-Lapu Day tragedy in East Vancouver, where a driver struck a crowd with an SUV, killing 11 people and injuring many more.

Organizers say this year's Pinoy Festival has adopted the theme "We Rise" as a message of collective strength coming on the heels of what some describe as one of the darkest days in Vancouver's history. 

Festival spokesperson Ting Caturla said the decision to go ahead with Saturday's event was not taken lightly. Initially, the festival's theme was centred on celebrating and having fun, but after the tragedy it switched gears and adopted "We Rise."

"We wanted to honour the victims and give people memories that we celebrate their lives."

Caturla said security at this year's festival is high, with RCMP officers on site, traffic control, four first aid booths, and security stationed at all entrances.

The annual festival, now in its third year, features over 180 vendors and community booths, a Zumba workout, cultural performances, and a solidarity parade, among other activities. 

B.C. Premier David Eby attended the festival and called it "a symbol of resilience" of the Filipino community.

"This year it has particular significance," he said. "People are rebuilding and obviously we're all still grieving. But right now, we're here to celebrate Filipino culture and to rebuild together."

Eby confirmed that the province provided additional resources for festival security. Last month, the province appointed former Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson to lead a safety review of festivals across B.C.

"For the long term, we need to know that people have the resources and the support around the level of security that they require," he added. "We may never be able to entirely eliminate risk, but [we need to] ensure...people are safe when they come together and celebrate."

Healing and moving forward

For many community members, the day is an emotional one.

Diane Zapata, vice-chair of Migrante B.C., said she witnessed the aftermath of the Lapu-Lapu Day crash and had initially hesitated to attend today's event.

"But because of collective grieving and recovery, I needed to come here for myself, for my community to be present and move forward," she told CBC News.

Zapata helped run a therapeutic art workshop at the festival, which invited attendees to contribute to a piece of art centred on the Sarimanok, a mythical bird, which she says, symbolizes peace and prosperity.

"What we're doing here is reclaiming our public space," she said. "We are offering this public art installation to co-create with everyone and to, you know, rebuild and heal from what happened to our community."

Nearby, food vendor J. Malang from Pampanga's Cuisine was busy preparing traditional dishes. His restaurant is located just blocks from where the Lapu-Lapu Day incident occurred.

"We work right there and every day you remember it when you pass by," he said.

Malang said he noticed the heightened security protocols at the Pinoy Festival right away. Vendors had to park farther away and walk in with their equipment, whereas at Lapu-Lapu some vehicles were allowed on the festival grounds. But he called it a welcome precaution.

According to organizers, TransLink also provided free shuttle service from SkyTrain's Patterson Station to improve accessibility to the stadium.

Theme resonates

Mable Elmore, MLA for Vancouver-Kensington, said the timing of the event, during Filipino Heritage Month, adds another layer of meaning.

"The month is a celebration of when the Philippines got their independence from Spain…and Lapu Lapu was also an indigenous hero in terms of recognizing his resistance against colonization."

Elmore said the "We Rise" theme has resonated deeply across the community as it deals with "just so much grief and sorrow from that day."