Folklorama debuting two new pavilions this year

WINNIPEG

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This article was published 30/07/2025 (248 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of the many elements of Winnipeg’s annual Folklorama festival is that it keeps one on the past while keeping another on the future.

This year’s Folklorama, the 54th edition, will showcase two new pavilions — the Mabuhay Philippine pavilion will be held during the festival’s first week (Aug. 3 to 9) at the Philippine Canadian Centre at 737 Keewatin St. and the Modern Chinese pavilion will be held during its second week (Aug. 10 to 16) at the University of Manitoba’s University Centre, 210-224 — 66 Chancellors Cir.

According to folklorama.ca, the Mabuhay Philippine pavilion “will showcase traditional and contemporary folk dances and music depicting the artistry and cultural niche of Luzon, the largest of the three main islands of the Philippines.”

While enjoying the show, organizers say, guests will able to enjoy dishes such as pansit, adobo, shish kebob, or sweet and sour fish fillet, while washing them down with San Miguel beer or tropical non-alcoholic beverages.

Prakhar Jain, who is co-ordinating the Modern Chinese pavilion with James Page, said the new pavilion will give visitors the chance to experience not just the heritage of mainland China, but also nations closely connected to Chinese culture, such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan.

“We’re proud that this a new pavilion, and we want to highlight diversity, equity and inclusivity,” Jain said. “We want to try and bring everyone together, and showcase everything under one roof.”

Guests can expect to enjoy entertainment such as the traditional dragon and lion dances, and there will also be performances by Diva Xu, and Lin Chen and Kristian Sievers.

“We hope it’s a success, and we hope to build on it next year and continue to encourage diversity,” Jain said. “We’re very excited about it.”

Jain added the University of Manitoba is a great location for the pavilion, as it’s accessible and provides lots of parking.