*Mike’s Shave Ice will only be vending on Saturday 10/3.

In the spirit of bayanihan, or communal unity, The Filipino Community of Seattle’s Small Business and Social, Arts, and Culture programs bring together 40+ vendors, creatives, and artists Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4 to kick-off Filipino American History Month. This two-day community event welcomes around 2,000 community members and visitors to the historic Filipino Community Center, a gathering space and second home for many in Southeast Seattle.

Saturday, October 4 will largely be a talipapa, a temporary, open-air market inside the Filipino Community Center and outside in the Kern-Veloria Plaza. In the Philippines, talipapa markets are typically informal and began as a modest congregation of vendors catering to the simple needs of the people. These markets have an important role as a social and economic cornerstone for the local community, and also is a bridge between cultures.