The Maui News

The 51st Barrio Fiesta “A Virtual Celebration and Fundraiser” will be held beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday on the Binhi At Ani Filipino Community Center Facebook page.

The festival, which is expected to last about two hours, can be found at facebook.com/BinhiatAniFilipinoCommunityCenter.

“Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the Barrio Fiesta from May to September but with the continued inability to have large gatherings, Binhi at Ani decided to hold its virtual Barrio Fiesta in October — during Filipino-American History Month — and also use it as a fundraiser,” said Melen Magbual Agcolicol, president of Binhi At Ani.

“With the center closed for events, we’ve lost all our revenues for the last seven months, and we need help to continue to be able to help others.”

The 51st Barrio Fiesta will feature entertainment, food demonstrations by Joey’s Kitchen and Tante’s Island Cuisine, and special events, including the presentation of the 2020 Binhi/Bayer Scholarship Recipients, the introduction of the 2020-22 board of directors, and the introduction of the newly created advisory board.

The highlight will be the unveiling of the Binhi at Ani Building Fund Donor Wall, which recognizes the major donors who assisted with the opening of the center in 2005. There also will be an update of ongoing projects, such as the #BayanihanFood Distribution, Take Out Tuesday and building renovations.

The event will be hosted by Chelsea Guzman, who reigned as Miss Barrio Fiesta 2011 and Miss Hawaii Filipina 2015 and was recently crowned Miss Maui USA 2021.

“We’re very pleased to continue with the preservation of our Filipino culture by annually having the Barrio Fiesta, even in a virtual world,” said Agcolicol. “The Barrio Fiesta is the longest running Filipino fiesta in the United States, and we are proud to have it here on Maui. 

“We can’t let a pandemic prevent us from continuing to share our culture with all of Maui and to be with our friends, even though it’s done virtually.”