FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Ruben Salazar, 630-969-2971 August 12, 2014

Lea Rivera, 630-405-5986

Piyesta Pinoy at Festivals in Evanston, Bolingbrook & Lisle

Chicago, Il. – Piyesta Pinoy performers continue to bring the Pinoy arts, music and culture from the first ever Philippine Fest in Bolingbrook to several summer festivals in the Greater Chicago area. On Saturday July 19, the PACF was invited to perform for the first time at the Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival at Centennial Park by the lake just south of the Northwestern University campus. The Philippine American Cultural Foundation Performing Arts and Hataw Pinoy couple Alpha and Emil Nicloasin performed a sample of native cultural dances, Transfiuration Dance Troupe choreographer Doris Jankowiak performed a beautiful solo rendition of Binasuan and the twins Nicole and Riley Javate entertained the crowd with a lively and cute version of Itik-Itik. On Sunday, July 27, the PACF Performing Arts went back to the Bolingbrook Performing Arts in celebration of Arts Around the World. It was the first time for the Philippines to have been invited to participate at this annual event featuring music and dance performances of different cultures around the world. The Piyesta Pinoy committee led by Ruben Salazar, PACF president Adeline Fajardo, FAASD president Barb Dizon. Piyesta Pinoy members Rudy Agustin, Romy and Tita Balcita presented the certificates of appreciation and a Piyesta Pinoy collage picture frame to Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar and Facilities Coordinator Dale McClannahan to thank them for their support of the first Piyesta Pinoy (Philippine Fest) in Bolingbrook. Last but not the least, the Philippines also got invited to participate at the first ever Destination Asia Summer Festival held at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle featuring the diverse culture of Asia through live music, authentic dance performances, Asian-

inspired fare, and much more!. The BIBAK Breaths of Heritage group performed Saturday, August 2 at noon doing traditional Philippine dance and music from the northern Cordilleras. The Philippine American Cultural Foundation and BIBAK

Breaths of Heritage also participated in displays and exhibits of discovering Philippine culture through storytelling, arts and crafts, the game of “trumpo”, traditional costumes and more.

The Healing Hearts For Haiyan Community Art Project, started by Artist Lea M. Rivera at Piyesta Pinoy in Bolingbrook, also joined "Destination Asia Summer Festival" at the Morton Arboretum. The project aims to bring awareness of the Typhoon Haiyan rebuilding efforts in the Philippines. Event participants were asked to write and design encouraging, positive & loving messages on multicolored hearts for those who have been devastated by the super storms. Adults and children of different nationalities alike, spent time to reflect and educate themselves on the effects of Haiyan and later typhoons. With heartfelt conviction, they signed their hearts with words of love from the Chicagoland to the Motherland. The project has collected 220 heart messages and counting, with the new option of offering to the public, a way to send their messages online. The goal of this project is not only to bring encouragement and awareness to the sufferings of our

Filipino countrymen, but also to collect these hearts and create a 3d art piece set for exhibition on October 19, 2014 at

the University of Chicago. This exhibition is organized by the Filipino American National Historical Society, Midwest Chapter, in commemoration of those who lost their lives from the infamous typhoon. To learn more about this project or to send a healing heart message online, please visit the official website at http://healingheartsforhumanity.wordpress.com/,

where you can also connect via Facebook, Twitter, and view short videos on the project's Youtube channel to see the construction of the art piece.

Hope to see you again at future events featuring Piyesta Pinoy performers and partners. See attached pictures.

For more information about future PACF and Piyesta Pinoy partners event, check out our website - http://pacf-il.org/

Evanston Art Festival Photo Credits to Jeffrey John Javate

Hataw Pinoy Alpha Nicloasin and Emil Nicolasin

Transfiguration Dance Troupe Doris Jankowiak and Nicole and Riley Javate

PACF Performing Arts

Arts Around the World Photo Credits to Honey Agustin

Awarding of Piyesta Pinoy Certificates of Appreciation to Dala McClannahan and Mayor Roger Claar. From L to R –

Rudy Agustin, Dale McClannahan (Facilities Coordinator, Bolingbrook Performing Arts), Barb Dizon (FAASD President),

Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar, Ruben Salazar, Tita Balcita and Romy Balcita

PACF Performing Arts Tinikling Finale Dance at Arts Around the World in Bolingbrook

Destination Asia Photo Credits to Lourdes Singson Chew, Michelle Delson and Lea Rivera

Hearts of Haiyan Art Project with Lourdes Chew, Lea Rivera and Michelle Delson

BIBBAK Breaths of Heritage with Ray Baguilat and Rex Delson

PACF Display with Michelle Delson and Cindy Lopez

BIBBAK performing at stage celebrating Destination Asia at Morton Arboretum

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