Thousands celebrate Pinoy Festival 2025 at Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium

Thousands celebrated Filipino Heritage Month at Pinoy Festival 2025 in Burnaby on Saturday.

Thousands descended on Swangard Stadium in Burnaby Saturday for Pinoy Festival 2025, which organizers describe as “the largest Filipino cultural event in Canada.”

There are roughly 180,000 Filipino-Canadians living in the Lower Mainland, according to Antonio Matias, one of the organizers of Saturday’s celebration.

He said the event is held annually on the Saturday closest to June 12, which is the Philippines’ Independence Day. June is Filipino Heritage Month in Canada.

The theme of this year’s festival was “We Rise,” a reference to the strength and resilience of the community, particularly in the wake of the Lapu Lapu Day Festival tragedy in April, when a driver plowed into a crowd in Vancouver, killing 11 and injuring several others.

“Whatever happens, we will rise up,” Matias said. “That’s why our theme for the celebration is ‘We Rise.’”

A “solidarity parade” was held in the morning to acknowledge the tragedy and to highlight cross-cultural support between immigrant communities. Filipino groups marched alongside groups representing South Asian, Latino, African and Chinese community organizations.

More than 180 vendors and community booths were set up inside the stadium, along with a beer garden, live music and interactive family activities.

TransLink provided a free shuttle from Patterson SkyTrain Station to the stadium.

The festival is in its third year and is organized by the Pinoy Festival Alliance Society, a registered non-profit with more than 70 member organizations.