Manila Munchies celebrates
On Saturday, Noel Sardenia, his two sons and other family members and two dogs, came to Shenandoah Park to celebrate “Manila Munchies – Global Pinoy” a festival celebrating Filipino food, music and culture.
Events like Manila Munchies help pass along Filipino culture to the next generation, he said, as 7-year-old Josh and 10-year-old Ryan played nearby.
“We’re very proud of our heritage,” said Sardenia, as he held Rye, a 4-year-old goldendooddle on a leash.
Sardenia was among the 1,000-plus people who stopped by Shenandoah Park near the American Canyon Public Safety Building east of Highway 29 to attend the event a group of volunteers organized as part of Filipino American History Month.
For hours, visitors munched on Filipino food, including lumpia, street food-style barbecue, pancit, grilled pork belly known as pork sisig and roasted pork belly called lechon. They also stopped by booths selling arts and crafts booths, listened to bands such as The Osaka 3 and watched hip-hop dancers from Aurajin School of Performing Arts of Benicia.
“It brings people together,” said Lisa Vuong, of Vallejo, whose daughter performs with Aurajin.
The event was part of Filipino American History Month, which the American Canyon City Council recognized Oct. 7 with a proclamation. Filipinos are the second largest Asian American group in the nation and the third largest ethnic group in California.
Filipino American History Month commemorates Oc. 18, 1857 when the first Filipinos arrived in the United States when the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza landed in Morrow Bay.
Elmer Manaid, a volunteer with Friendors, the non-profit group that organized the event, said children of Filipino descent born in the United States need to learn about their culture and heritage.
Manaid and the Friendors’ founders, Karla Ivan, Farrah Coloma and Sophie Borgeaud, were pleased with Saturday’s turnout for the second annual Manila Munchies. At about 6 p.m. the volunteers estimated more than 1,000 people had stopped by. They said they moved the event this year from Holy Family Catholic Church to Shenandoah Park in order to accommodate bigger crowds.
“It’s a great turnout,” Manaid said after the ube ice cream eating contest won by American Canyon High School sophomore Julian Barangan, who won $100 for his efforts.
One of Friendors’ goal is to give back to the community by raising money for schools. On Saturday, the group donated $1,000 each to American Canyon Middle School and American Canyon High School for their respective Filippino clubs.
In another contest, Rick Ibe bested two other contestants in the balut egg eating contest. Balut is a boiled fertilized duck egg, eaten as is, feathers and all.
“I just ate it,” said Ibe, who was trying balut for the first time.
Future Friendors fundraisers include “Manila Munchies Kamayan & Comedy” on Nov. 8 at Boys and Girls Clubs’ American Canyon Clubhouse at 60 Benton Way.
“Manila Munchies Kamayan & Comedy,” open to anyone 21 and older, features comedy and dinner. Entertainers include Filipino American comedian Rex Navarrete. Tickets are $125. For information: https://bit.ly/4h2l8lb
