Despite the gloomy and wet weather, spirits were high at the 12th annual Fiesta Filipino which kicked off Friday at Eau Claire Plaza. This year’s theme is excellence in culture. Over four days, festival goers will be treated to 280 local and international Filipino performers including headliner Jessica Sanchez, the winner from America’s Got Talent Season 20. There are over 30 vendors and exhibitors. And of course there’s food -- dozens of food trucks, and the grills will be sizzling throughout the long weekend. “Filipino food is a melting pot of many different cultures,” said Pao Oliveros, one of the directors of Fiesta Filipino. “Phillipines has been colonized by many colonizers and has traded with many many cultures. Our food is a melting pot of different flavours -- come hungry to Fiesta Filipino and leave happy.” Oliveros says there are about 80,000 Filipinos who call Calgary home. Provincially, it’s around 200,000.
