Thousands celebrate Pinoy arts and culture at Chicago area fiesta

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. – More than 7,500 people came to the 12-hour Piyesta Pinoy at the Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center to celebrate Fil-Am arts, music, cuisine and cultural heritage.

Miss Illinois Nicole Tuquilar said, “I want other culture to appreciate our culture so I definitely think that is very important.”

Piyesta Pinoy is one of the biggest Filipino-American Festivals in the greater Chicagoland area.

Adeline Fajardo, President of the Philippine American Cultural Foundation said, “One of the objectives of the Philippine American Cultural Foundation is to promote our culture. That’s why we have school. We teach the young kids to dance.”

Some kababayans came all the way from nearby cities and states just to take part in this fiesta extravanganza.

KleinTumulak of Mason City, Iowa said, “We don’t see that in such a small town that we have, so it was quite a rare event, I was quite happy to be here.”

“Si Sam Milby, at saka Geneva Cruz, at saka si Gelo — ang pogi, ang ganda. Gusto ko siyang makasama sa pelikola, that’s it,” said Abella Miller of Decatur, Ill.

Geneva Cruz wowed the audience with her signature performances.

“Seriously, because I love performing so much, I’ve been doing it since I was two years old. Whenever people are happy with my performance, I get really really happy also,” she said.

Kapamilya star Sam Milby brought the house down during the TFC Hour.

“Everytime I come here, napaka-warm yung mga tao. I don’t know if you guys know, I actually have stage fright. It’s because of the people and the crowd, its because of their warm reception nagbibigay ng sigla sa akin and it makes me feel comfortable,” he said.

Fans even got some treats from their idol Sam – fresh roses for those who drenched from the storm.

Jan Garcia of Roundlake, Ill. said, “Kahit hindi ako nakakuha ng bulaklak, nakapagpapicture ako sa kanya, habang kumakanta siya, napakabait niya.”

As the TFC Sama Saya continues this summer, fans can also catch Sam Milby and Geneva Cruz at the PAFCOM Parade and TFC Hour to be held at the Lincoln Park in Jersey City, N.J. this Sunday, June 28.

You may contact Don Tagala at don_tagala@abs-cbn.com for more information