‘We’re building it — and they will come!’
One of the most significant milestones for our community is the creation of the Filipino Town Cultural District in Las Vegas. The Clark County Commission unanimously passed the resolution on April 15, 2025, and now it’s time to celebrate!
Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 9, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Boulevard Mall for the official street sign unveiling. Join us for this celebration, which will feature food, entertainment, and cultural performances.
This new cultural district spans a 1.2-mile corridor along South Maryland Parkway, from Desert Inn Road to Flamingo Road. The area was a natural choice, as it’s already a central hub for Filipino-owned businesses, including the popular Seafood City supermarket.
The visionary 90-year-old community leader, Rozita Villanueva Lee, spearheaded the effort for this designation and will serve as the honorary chair for the celebration.
SENTRO FILIPINO’S EXHIBITIONS ON DISPLAY: Visitors can quickly schedule a trip to view outstanding cultural exhibits at the mezzanine level of The Bulletin Building, 814 Mission Street, San Francisco. Click on https://sentrofilipino.com/visit to book an appointment.
WHAT’S COMING UP?
SEPTEMBER 27, 2025
EVENT TITLE: PhilDev15 THRIVE Gala & Awards
TYPE OF EVENT: in-person
ORGANIZER(S): PhilDev Foundation, aka the Philippine Development S&T Foundation, Inc
WHAT: Annual Fundraising Event
DESCRIPTION: PhilDev’s signature annual event, marks a major milestone – – 15 years of service and impact for Filipinos in STEM. The THRIVE Gala & Awards will gather our community of influential Fil-Ams, trailblazers in tech, business, academia, and philanthropy, to celebrate both legacy and a future filled with limitless potential of the Filipino. Together, we will honor outstanding individuals and organizations making a difference and raise critical support to fuel the future of Filipino excellence in STEM. It will be an evening filled with inspiration, energy and community spirit.
WHEN: Saturday, September 27, 2025
WHERE: Signia by Hilton, 170 S Market St., San Jose, CA 95113
WHAT TIME: 5:30 p.m.
HOW MUCH: Starts at $400 per guest; other ticket categories are available
RSVP LINK: https://www.phildev.org/events/phildev-thrive-gala-and-awards-2025/
WEBSITE: https://www.phildev.org/
OCTOBER 4, 2025
EVENT TITLE: Club Mandalay
TYPE OF EVENT: in-person
ORGANIZER(S): Manilatown Heritage Foundation and Manilatown Arts
WHAT: An afternoon of live performances at this family-friendly event!
DESCRIPTION: Join us for another afternoon of non-stop fun at Club Mandalay! We’re excited to present two ensembles: At 2:00 pm, our house band, the Manilatown Jazz Ensemble (aka The Autonomous Region), will take the stage featuring Caroline Cabading on Vocals, Raymond Bambao on Bass, Harold Ohashi on Drums and Chris Planas on guitar. Please join us at 3:00 pm as Raymond Bambao and Chris Planas return to the stage for a musical journey to Hawaii, showcasing the ukulele and lap steel guitar.
WHEN: Saturday, October 4, 2025
WHERE: International Hotel Manilatown Center, 868 Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
WHAT TIME: 2:00 p.m.
HOW MUCH: Free. Donations are appreciated.
RSVP TO: Inquiries only at mhf@manilatown.org
RSVP BY: October 4, before the event
RSVP LINK: https://tinyurl.com/clubmandalay10042025
WEBSITE: https://www.manilatown.org/
OCTOBER 4, 2025
EVENT TITLE: Parangal Dance Company: ‘Adhika’ at YBG Festival
TYPE OF EVENT: in-person
ORGANIZER(S): Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and Parangal
WHAT: A FREE show of Philippine dance in San Francisco, only at Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
DESCRIPTION: Parangal presents their full production of ‘Adhika,’ meaning aspiration, where dancers perform with Culture Bearers, Jenny Bawer Young and Airia “Aunty Lingling” Askalani Obeso. The intricate dances were taught to the company by culture bearers from indigenous communities in the Philippines with the hope of conveying their stories, living traditions and aspirations for their communities.
WHEN: Saturday, October 4, 2025
WHERE: Yerba Buena Gardens, 750 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
WHAT TIME: 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
HOW MUCH: Free. Donations are appreciated.
RSVP LINK: https://tinyurl.com/parangal10042025
WEBSITE: https://www.parangal.org/
If you have questions about an event, click on the RSVP link or find the contact person or organizers mentioned in the announcement.
