Now in its fourteenth year, the Filipino Festival is a community event which showcases the richness of the Filipino culture and promotes a respect for and appreciation of the Filipino heritage. Featuring a delectable cuisine, folk dances and music, the Filipino Festival has attracted thousands of attendees from Richmond and surrounding cities and counties who want to experience the best of the Philippine islands without leaving Virginia.
Utilizing over 600 volunteers, the Filipino Festival is a unique celebration of community, volunteerism and fun for people of all ages. To the more than one hundred Filipino youth in the area who perform dances and songs, the Filipino festival is a culmination of nine months of cultural immersion in bi-weekly classes that teach them their parents' language, culture, stories, history, dances and songs. It provides a safe environment for them to fellowship, learn and take pride in their rich cultural heritage.
Our Lady of Lourdes is a culturally diverse Catholic community of about 1,500 families. Located at 8200 Woodman Road in Glen Allen, the parish has a school that serves pre-K to 8th grade.
Proceeds of the Filipino Festival support various ministries and project of Our Lady of Lourdes Church and Our Lady of Lourdes School, a Blue Ribbon school. In addition, the Filipino Festival has helped with:
- National Alliance on Mental Illness - Richmond Chapter
- LAMB's Basket - (Lakeside Area Ministries Board)
- Lakeside Rescue Squad
- Natural disaster relief fund to Haiti and Philippines
- Aileen Colorado Fund for Muscular Dystrophy
- Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center
- Reach our for Life Cancer Research
- Local area student and community Filipino-American organizations
- Gallagher Speaks (Teen depression research)
- Alzheimer's Association (Richmond Chapter)
