Welcome to Seattle Center
SEATTLE WA – The vibrant sights, sounds, and flavors of the Philippines return to Seattle Center this spring with the Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival. This year’s celebration takes place on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Seattle Center Armory Food & Event Hall. The family-friendly event is free and open to all ages.
Held in honor of Philippine Independence Day, Pagdiriwang offers a unique opportunity to experience the rich diversity of Filipino culture through a dynamic weekend of traditional and contemporary arts, live performances, exhibits, food, and hands-on activities. Designed for both Filipino and non-Filipino audiences, the festival promotes deeper understanding and appreciation of the Filipino heritage.
DANCE
Audiences can enjoy colorful and captivating performances from a wide array of dance groups including FCS Kalahi Cultural Dance Ensemble (with visiting dancers from Magsayawan Ketchikan and the Filipinas Performing Arts of Washington State), SAYAW Filipino Folk Dance Troupe, FACES Dance Group, The Young Once, IDIC Dance Group, and the FCS Dazzling Divas.
MUSIC
The music lineup features everything from classical to modern with performances by FAAIE Bayanihan Rondalla, Balakiya, SinginGANG (a cappella), Barriotiques, Fil-Am Society Choir, and vocalists Rigor Coloma, Veronica Bella, and Anne Razel Timajo. Filipino rock band Tigas Tito and Ihaw Ihaw band will also take the stage.
VISUAL ARTS, WORKSHOPS & EXHIBITS
Explore a diverse mix of visual and literary arts including a solo exhibit by Noel Bote, artifact displays by Burton Holt, Violet Noriega’s culinary art showcase, and Adrian Alarilla’s DIWA Film Showcase. Attend literary readings by Kultura Arts with Bob Flor and Troy Osaki, and seminarson traditional tattoos and ancient scripts from Lane Wilcken and Kristian Kabuay and Rizal, Heroes & Martyrs by SIKLAB coordinated by Roger Rigor. Family-friendly activities include Filipino games like sungka, yo-yo demos, and cultural crafts for children.
FOOD TRUCKS & VENDORS
Festivalgoers can indulge in authentic Filipino cuisine and international flavors from popular food trucks and booths, including Egg Roll Hut, Kathmandu MoMoCha, LBee's Filipino Deli, Uncle Mike's Filipino Comfort Foods, 2Guys Grill on Wheels, and Autumn’s Ice Cream.
This year’s programming ties in with the theme, “Discover Philippines,” meant to elevate that Filipino culture is not a monolith. “The 2025 theme emphasizes that this heritage is actually a diversity of cultures within one nation, the Philippines,” said festival organizer Juan Pablo “JP” Paredes. “The festival is special because it not only features performances but is actually educational as well for both the public at large and US-born Filipinos who would benefit from the information presented at workshops and interaction with exhibitors.”
This festival is part of the Festál series of 25 cultural festivals presented by community groups and hosted by Seattle Center throughout the year.
About Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival & Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington
The Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington (FCHSW) is a non-profit organization staffed entirely by volunteers. It is committed to nurturing and proudly expressing the finest and all that is beautiful and enduring in the Filipino culture. Its primary objective is to perpetuate, educate, and share Filipino culture and heritage with the people of Washington through music, dance, arts, history, literature, and crafts.
Information on the festival is available at www.seattlecenter.com, as well as on Facebook, and www.festalpagdiriwang.com.
About Seattle Center Festál
Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity. These events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of the diversity of our region. Seattle Center Festál is produced in partnership with community groups, presented on weekends from January to November and supported by City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture.
About Seattle Center
Connect to the extraordinary at Seattle Center, an active civic, arts, and family gathering place in the core of our city and region. Seattle Center’s 74-acre campus, centered around the International Fountain, is part of the Uptown Arts & Cultural District and home to Climate Pledge Arena; more than 30 cultural, educational, sports, and entertainment organizations; and a broad range of public and community programs. In everything it does, Seattle Center’s mission is to create exceptional events, experiences, and environments which delight and inspire the human spirit to build stronger communities.
Seattle Center has expanded its role to provide maintenance and public safety services for Seattle’s new Waterfront Park, a series of new public spaces on Seattle’s downtown waterfront between Pioneer Square and the Seattle Aquarium. Seattle Center supports managing these new waterfront public spaces in partnership with the non-profit Friends of Waterfront Seattle, which offers the community a range of recreational and cultural programming.
Thanks to the support of Official Seattle Center Partners – Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Coors Light, Pepsi, Premera, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank – Seattle Center is the #1 arts and entertainment destination in the Pacific Northwest with 12 million annual visitors, generating $1.864 billion in business activity and more than $631 million in labor income annually.
Contact
Madison Miller, Why for Good
madison@whyforgood.com 425-246-5468
