Annual PhilFest Kicks Off April 5 in Westchase

The Philippine Cultural Foundation will host its annual PhilFest 2013 April 5 to 7 at the Philippine Cultural Enrichment Complex and Bayanihan Arts & Events Center, 14301 Nine Eagles Dr., Tampa.

The festival features a glimpse of Philippine culture through dance, song, food, cultural exhibits, fashion shows and colorful parades and processions.

The Philippine Village will be transformed into a typical colorful festival atmosphere with numerous local and out-of-town vendors sell culinary offerings catering to different palates in booths decorated with colorful Philippine motifs.

Merchandise vendors will sell handicrafts, Philippine attire for both men and women and fashion accessories.

The center's resident performing arts groups, the Philippine Performing Arts Company, the Philippine Choral Group and the Musikong Kawayan Bamboo Ensemble, will entertain with authentic Philippine folk dances, haunting renditions of Philippine folk songs and masterful playing of the angklung (bamboo instrument).

There will be song and dance presentations by other groups from the Tampa Bay area and beyond, as well.

Tawag Ng Tanghalan, the PhilFest's adult American Idol-style singing contest be on Friday and Tanghalang Pambata, the children’s singing contest, will be in the early afternoon on Sunday, April 7.

Saturday will feature the traditional Mrs. PhilFest and Flores de PhilFest parade with ladies and girls dressed in elegant Philippine gowns and costumes, escorted by men attired in Barong Tagalog.

On Sunday, there will be a fashion show featuring ternos (long gowns). Also slated for Sunday is the Yugyugan, a street carnival dancing competition between different Filipino-American organizations.

The event also will feature Revolution 2013, a hip-hop competition among different colleges and universities in Florida, all vying for cash prizes.

Festival hours are April 5 from 4 to 11 p.m., April 6 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and April 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Advance tickets are $5 and tickets at the gate are $6.

For more details, click here.

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