EVEN as the morning news warned of the chance of showers and temperatures in the low 70s, avid Seattle Pista-goers were unfazed. After all, the Pista sa Nayon happened only

once a year. What’s a little precipitation compared to the warmth and excitement of bonding over great Filipino cuisine, performances, entertainment and traditions?

In it’s 17th year, Pista Sa Nayon has become one of the most popular celebrations during the Summer Seafair Festivites in the greater Seattle community. As loads upon loads of Film-Ams, resident Pinoys and veteran Seattle-ites flocked to Seward Park Amphitheater on Saturday, July 30th, the vibe of Filipino unity in the Seattle community was palpable.

Jenna Curry, a 21-year-old senior majoring in Journalism at the University of Washington, heard about the fiesta from a fellow Filipino American friend. Curry, who is of Filipino and Caucasian heritage, went for the first time this year with her mother. She hoped to immerse herself in the Filipino culture she knew very little of.

TRADITIONAL PINOY GAMES, CULTURAL PERFORMANCES AND NON-STOP FOOD

A parade, a slew of vocal talents and traditional Filipino children’s games kicked off the festivities. Cultural performances followed, courtesy of SAYAW, a group of students from the University of Washington; PAYO (Pilipino American Youth Organization), a Tacoma - based dance troupe; FACES, a group consisting of Filipino American City of Seattle employees; Kultura, a group consisting of youth from the St. Matthew Parish and School; and the Filipino Youth Activities (FYA) drill team, founded by Fred Cordova in 1959. They set the mood of the day, transporting guests to what seemed like an actual barrio fiesta in the Philippines.

But, as in any Filipino gathering, the food was the centerpiece of the celebrations. Kiosks included Espi’s Philippine Style Foods, Carlos’ Fast Food and Catering Services, Manila Bay Filipino Cuisine, Pacific Island Grill and Halo-Halo.

When asked what food she enjoyed the most, Curry raved about the halo-halo. “My mom said it was her favorite dessert,” Curry gushed, “and it had been a long time since she’d had it. It was my first time trying it and it was delicious. With the number of people carrying the same plastic cups around, I knew it was something I had to try.”

With treats and entertainment galore, including the many booths that offered information and clothes for sale, barely anyone noticed the intermittent rains throughout the day. The showers also provided a misty ambiance to the performances on the amphitheater stage.

While the rain did get the better of the Massive Monkees, a break dancing group originally from Seattle and now a national and international name, many other younger performers did get to shine.

Raw-Edit, a hip-hop dance group established in 2003 at the Seattle University’s Barrio Fiesta and Sonny Bonoho, a Seattle resident sharing his free styling lyrical talents, got the crowd back on their feet to enjoy their fresh hip-hop moves and rhythmic beats.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW

Jep Atienza, a veteran Pista Sa Nayon goer and resident Filipino American of Mountlake Terrace said, “I like going to Pista Sa Nayon every year because you don’t get a group of people like this who are both young and old and come from different places to enjoy the same kind of cultural and modern entertainment every day of the year.”

To reward and show their appreciation for those who attended the festivities, the organizers and volunteers of Pista Sa Nayon presented prizes and gifts in between performances. Given away were $25 dollar gift certificates to Macy’s, $500 in cash and a round trip to the Philippines from Titan Real Estate.

As the day came to a close, it was obvious that the crowd leaving Pista Sa Nayon that day were culturally enriched, happily entertained and full-to-bursting with the camaraderie, good vibe and mounds of food that mark the annual fiesta experience remembered from the homeland.

And they made sure nothing rained on their parade.