BUENA PARK : 25,000 Expected at ‘Fiesta Filipiana’

Knott’s Berry Farm becomes a Philippine town today and Sunday when the theme park presents “Fiesta Filipiana,” featuring Filipino food, music, and entertainment.

About 25,000 Filipino Americans from around Southern California are expected to attend the two-day event, which is being held as part of the celebration of Philippine Independence Day on Sunday.

Entertainers from the Manila and Los Angeles areas will perform, including Kuh Ledesma, formerly one of the Philippines’ top entertainers and now based in the United States.

“This is a watershed event for Filipino Americans,” said Feling Timbancaya, one of the event organizers. “We have been labeled as the invisible minority in America, but this is our chance to show our culture.”

The Southern California Filipino-American Community and the Philippine Department of Tourism are sponsoring the event, Timbancaya said

A 50-member troupe from Los Angeles will perform during in a show called “Kasaysayan ng Lahi,” which depicts Filipino culture through music, dances and a fashion show.

A highlight for each evening will be the “Santacruzan,” in which Filipina beauty queens, dressed in traditional gowns, and their escorts re-enact a religious procession that caps harvest festivities in many Philippine towns.

In addition to the cultural presentations, there will be food booths around the park where people can sample native cakes, pastries and delicacies prepared by Filipino restaurants in Southern California.

Opening ceremonies are scheduled at 11 a.m. today, with representatives from the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles and Buena Park city officials. Tickets are $26.95 for adults and $15.95 for children 3-11.