Burnaby's Pinoy Festival aims to 'turn grief into grace' following Vancouver festival tragedy

Courtney Dickson · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 13, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

"We rise."

That's the taxable of this year's Pinoy Festival, a celebration of Filipino civilization happening connected the heels of what immoderate person described arsenic 1 of the darkest days successful Vancouver's history. 

The solemnisation comes 7 weeks aft a car rammed into a radical of radical astatine the Lapu-Lapu Day festival successful East Vancouver, a time meant to people "the enduring interaction connected Filipino values, notably the tone of bayanihan — the corporate assemblage effort," organizers said. 

Eleven radical were killed, galore much were injured and the Filipino assemblage successful B.C. and overseas was near successful mourning. 

"Our assemblage feels the value of sorrow, but we besides consciousness the warmth of compassion, the powerfulness of unity and the telephone to travel unneurotic with purpose," the Pinoy Festival website reads. 

"Let's crook grief into grace, and symptom into purpose."

The yearly festival is happening connected Saturday astatine Swangard Stadium successful Burnaby, B.C., and is meant to highlight the vibrant Filipino civilization successful British Columbia. 

The festival volition footwear disconnected with a Zumba class, featuring Pinoy music. 

Following the greeting workout, a parade of Filipino and other immigrant groups volition marque its mode done the venue, highlighting the diverseness of the region. 

While the Pinoy Festival has been an important fixture successful the assemblage since it began successful 2023, Burnaby metropolis councillor Maita Santiago said the solemnisation is present much important than ever, arsenic the corporate grief from Lapu-Lapu Day persists. 

"We request festivals similar this to amusement that the satellite didn't end, though it mightiness consciousness similar it," she said. "I deliberation it's adjacent much important to amusement that arsenic a Filipino community, arsenic a assemblage of British Columbians, that we're committed to rise, that we're committed to find, wherever we're able, joy."

Festival safety

Festival information came into question successful the aftermath of the Vancouver tragedy, but Santiago said the Pinoy Festival has been preparing for the past year, ensuring a harmless time for all. 

She noted the venue for the Pinoy Festival is antithetic from different festivals — connected stadium grounds rather than connected the street. 

Security guards volition beryllium stationed astatine each entranceway gates, postulation power volition beryllium successful spot to negociate congestion and 4 archetypal assistance booths volition beryllium located passim the grounds. Burnaby RCMP officers volition besides beryllium connected site. 

For those unsure astir attending as they process what happened successful April, Santiago said determination volition beryllium galore assemblage booths astatine the vendor marketplace that tin connection support, and said determination volition beryllium a quiescent abstraction for anyone who needs it. 

And for those looking to link with assemblage to assistance them grieve, Santiago said there's nary amended spot to be. 

"With each the things that are astatine the festival, I'm definite there'll beryllium thing for astir folks there, successful presumption of a community," she said. 

She said she can't hold to stitchery with loved ones astatine Swangard Stadium this weekend. 

"It's ever been a large event, and I cognize tons and tons of folks person been moving hard to marque it happen."

The happening Santiago is astir looking guardant to: halo-halo, a shaved crystal dessert with milk, fruits and different saccharine ingredients. 

"A festival wouldn't beryllium implicit without having a halo-halo," she said.