Tag Archives: festival

Simbang Gabi – Filipino Holiday Festival

Nationality: Filipino
Age: 51
Occupation: IT Help Desk
Residence: Naperville, IL
Language: English

Text:

Simbang Gabi translates to “Night Mass” in Tagalog.

Context:

The performer grew up Filipino in a community of mainly Catholics, then immgrated to the Midwest in 2003 where they joined a “Simbang Gabi” program at their local Catholic church with other Filipino immigrants.

“Simbang Gabi a Filipino tradition that is actually nine days. Basically we go to mass for 9 days in a row before Christmas. It happens at Dawn.” […} “We choose to continue it so the other kids who grew up here would experience our culture and it at te same time our community, it would be a Filipino event that people would congregate to. ” […] “Our Simbang Gabi program would showcase the way we dance, the way we have food, the way we have Filipino games… My sole purpose to do it is for the kids, to continue the tradition, to continue the culture.”

In the Philippines, celebration happens since “the moment we are conscious” and is celebrated by all Catholics (80-90% of Filipinos are catholic). They were told that if they finished all 9 days of Simbang Gabi and they make a wish, it will come true. “It’s like you’re praying or petitioning for something.”

Analysis:

The performer’s version of Simbang Gabi is intriuging because it’s an example of how a Filipino tradition is Americanized and yet celebrates the culture in an “authentic” way despite not being an exact replica of the tradition. Simbang Gabi in the United States is a wonderful example of cross-cultural diaspora as Filipino immigrants “perform identity” and preserve the culture after physically moving and assimilating with American culture.

Simbang Gabi in the Philippines is reflective of Filipino traditions of faith, family, and folklore as it mixes the Catholic influences of Spanish colonizers with communal values of meeting in church daily as well as creating a lasting tradition that defies borders.

Brasilian Festival

AGE: 20 

Date of performance: 04/29/2025

Occupation: Student 

Primary Language: English 

Title-   Carnival

Context- M shares with me a tie to her family heritage that she celebrates even though she doesn’t live in Brazil— Carnival. M’s mom is from Brazil, and M shares with me how they would celebrate— “We would watch it on tv because we weren’t in Brasil but we’d wear Brasil colors and usually eat the traditional foods like feijoada and coxinha.”

Analysis- In folklore, festivals are seen as cultural practices that exemplify traditional and communal elements of a community’s values, traditions and history. Carnival is a big festival in Brazil, celebrating Brazil’s diverse heritage and showcasing different folkloric elements through their extreme costumes, traditional dancing (samba), and the occasional storytelling. Carnival is an example of how culture and tradition are highlighted by a giant performance—a key element in identifying folklore.

The Power of Chowder

Age: 24

Story: “Every year, my family and I look forward to Chowderfest on Long Beach Island like it’s a holiday. Chowderfest is an annual festival in LBI, NJ every October, where the local businesses who sell clam chowder compete to see who has the best red, white, and recently lobster bisque on the Island. It’s one of our favorite traditions, and we’ve been going for as long as I can remember. We wake up early, bundle up in cozy (and sometimes matching) sweatshirts, and head to the festival ready to taste all the different chowders. My parents are always between the red and the white chowders, but honestly, I only like the white. It’s not just about the soup, though, the music, the local vendors, and the energy of the crowd is what makes Chowderfest so special to me. We run into the same families every year, and we always swap recommendations for the best booths, and stock up on sweatshirts with the new festival logo. For us, Chowderfest isn’t just an event, it’s a reminder of everything we love about being together, about the shore, and about making time for joy, even when life gets busy. It’s a little tradition with a big heart, and I couldn’t imagine the Fall without it.”

Analysis: This story captures the cultural and folkloric richness of Chowderfest as a regional tradition deeply ingrained in both family routine and community identity. Festivals like Chowderfest function as modern-day rituals, bringing people together through shared experiences and collective memory. This person’s vivid recollection of matching sweatshirts, friendly rivalries over chowder flavors, and encounters with other families illustrates how such events create a sense of community and belonging. Folklorically, the festival serves as a space for the performance of regional identity, celebrating local east coast foods (clam chowder and lobster bisque), supporting small businesses, and reinforcing communal bonds. These elements transform the event from a food competition into a site of cultural storytelling. The narrator’s attachment to the tradition also reveals the emotional ties to maintaining family rituals, which is a true testament to the power that rituals, festivals, and traditions may have. I think there is something so strong and special about regional communities and their ties to each other. I know myself, I have a huge tie to my hometown, and it’s due to festivals like Chowderfest, that I can feel so connected to the people that live around me. I equate this feeling to being a fan of a sports team who just won big, it’s a lot of love for people you barely know.

Vacaville Fiesta Days

Nationality: American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Context: The Fiesta Days parade was so fun as a kid. It was this stretch of about four days in Vacaville, CA, where I grew up, that the whole town would get involved with this cool parade that had floats and marching bands. Afterward, there would be a carnival, kids’ events, live music, and great food. It always took place in late May, so the weather was usually great. One of the reasons it’s such a huge memory for me is because I was part of the parade in my school’s marching band. I marched and played my trumpet in that parade about four years in a row, and it was so fun. We had these cool costumes on that made you feel like you were going to pass out by the end of it with how hot you were. And we would play some silly marching band songs all the way through the parade route. I played the trumpet, so my lips were so tired by the end. Our band always won for our age group in the parade awards. But what was really fun is that after we were all done, we got to partake in the festivities—riding rides in the carnival and going to the local band concerts. Looking back, it was a great way for the community to come together in a fun, memorable way.

Analysis: One thing that stands out to me about this festival is how strongly it’s tied to youth participation. It’s not just something for kids to watch, it’s something they can actively participate in and make special. Getting kids involved as active members in this way ensures that when they grow up, they’ll want to continue to be active members. These traditions help build a sense of belonging in a community. Everyone has a role to play, even if it’s just to enjoy the parade and eat funnel cake. These kinds of yearly events that bring the local area together in this time of changing seasons have the effect of marking time, you know when the weather starts to get nice and warm it’s time for the Fiesta Days. These are the types of events that make people feel good about where they come from. No matter where the children that participate live when they grow up, they’ll continue to hold the joy and pride that this made them feel about their hometown.

Algonquin Founders’ Day Festival

Nationality: American
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Context: Founders’ Day has always been a big deal in my hometown, Algonquin. The festival itself officially started in 2004, but the parade’s been going on for way longer, like over 60 years. My dad’s been involved since before I was even born, especially with the parade board, and I kind of grew up helping out. I’ve done stuff like reaching out to businesses, schools, marching bands and other local groups to help get the parade together. The parade goes right down Main Street along the river, and it’s a big deal. There’s floats, marching bands, kids walking around, local politicians and even just people from the community who want to be part of it. It’s always packed. People from nearby towns come out too. It’s not just the parade, there’s a whole weekend of stuff afterwards. There’s a carnival, food, live music. One of my favorite things as a kid was the boat race. I think what’s really cool about the festival is how it brings people together. On top of having fun, it’s about being proud of where you live. Like, through helping out, I’ve gotten to know so many people. Like people in local government, police, even the mayor. And I think that’s part of why the festival exists in the first place. A lot of the people on the board are involved in community and philanthropy, and they really care about giving back.

Interpretation: I think the Founders’ Day festival is a great way to bring the community together in a way that blends tradition, fun, and community service. Not only is it about honring the town’s history, it’s also about building memories in the present. I love how popel of all ages come together to either be a part of or watch the parade, race cardboard boats, and have a good time at the carnival. It reminds me of the annual summer festival in my hometown, they become a sort of social glue. They give people a reason to be proud of where they are from and be part of something collective. The Founders’ Day Festival is a great example of how rituals don’t have to be ancient or formal to carry meaning. They can be recent and still just as deeply rooted in the values of community.