The Filipino American Arts Exposition will host the 29th Annual Pistahan Parade and Festival at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco Saturday and Sunday.

Founded in 1994, the Filipino American Arts Exposition is a nonprofit organization that celebrates Filipino history and heritage. The Pistahan weekend honors Filipino culture and marks the largest Filipino cultural festival on the West Coast. Here’s a preview of some of the family-friendly events coming up this weekend.

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The Parade

With the theme of “Homecoming: Reconnect With Our Roots and Community,” the weekend will kick off Saturday with the Pistahan Parade. It will begin at 11 a.m. at the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza and will travel along Market Street. Attendees can watch the colorful parade along the route, or from the assembly area on Larkin Street at Civic Center Plaza. The parade will end at Yerba Buena Gardens where the festival will be waiting.

The Festival

The festival filled with food and performances will be on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Several Filipina musical performers, including Angela Ken and SAB, will take the main stage at the Gardens.

Martial artists perform at a previous Pistahan festival at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. (Raul Panelo via Bay City News)

Separately from performances, the festival boasts seven different pavilions that are bound to have something for everyone. A dance pavilion will hold lessons and showcases of various dance styles. The art pavilion will present photography and textiles, and the heritage pavilion will display Philippine antiques and artifacts from local collectors. This year’s innovation pavilion will hold conversations about the latest virtual reality technology, while the culinary pavilion will host a culinary competition and food demonstration. Look forward to eating contests with ube ice cream and balut.

To beat the traffic, take the BART or MUNI to Civic Center and Powell Stations. Otherwise, paid parking can be found at the Fifth and Mission Street Parking Garage. If you can’t make it in person, the events will be livestreamed for the third year in a row via Facebook Live, YouTube Live and Kumu. Learn more at https://www.pistahan.net.