The 20th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC 20) was held last weekend at Point Fermin Park in San Pedro, CA. The festival is a public venue open to people of all ages. While FPAC attracts a large group of teenagers, college students, and adults through its special guest and performances, it is also an enjoyable event for families with young children. The festival is actually free for all children under 5.
The Youth Pavilion, in particular, is a great area for children and their parents to play games, participate in contests, and to make various arts and crafts. The Youth Pavilion organizes traditional Pilipino games such as pabitin, which is similiar to the piñata in that children try to collect prizes as the balag, or bamboo stick frame, is raised and lowered by a rope. Another game, patintero, is similar to tag, except that there are two teams that run along lines drawn on the ground.
Children can also get their faces painted or make lanyards out of colorful fabrics. They can get even more dressed up by participating in the Ati-Atihan parade, which is a recreation of the Ati-Atihan Festival held in Kalibo, Aklan, Philippines. The Ati-Atihan Festival represents the pact between the Ati people of Panay Island and the Malay datu (chieftans) that fled Borneo. While originally a pagan celebration, Ati-Atihan has been incorporated into Christian religious practice to honor the Santo Niño, or the infant Jesus. The Youth Pavilion provides clothing and drums for the children to use to make the parade more interactive and lively.
All in all, the Youth Pavilion gives children the opportunity to express their creativity and learn more about Pilipino culture. Look forward to the fun activities provided at the Youth Pavilion next year!
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