PAROL LANTERN PARADE

It’s the time of the year again, when the community starts making their parol lanterns and holiday decor to adorn their houses for the yuletide season.
In San Francisco, on Saturday, December 11, 2010, the community will be holding the 8th Annual San Francisco Parol Lantern Festival – a must-see event during the holiday season.
The festival begins with a series of parol lantern-making workshops held at the Bayanihan Community Center and are still going on. Parol workshops are open to the public.
The parols made during these workshops are then displayed during our anticipated parade & festival held in Yerba Buena Lane, Jessie Square and St. Patrick’s Church. This year, we expect marchers from over 25 local organizations to gather for a lively parade and festival which includes performances, community presentations and the annual Tala Awards for the best parol lanterns.
This year participating contingents who are vying for the Tala Awards are expected to incorporate the theme - Our Heritage, Let it Shine - in the design of their parol lanterns and presentation in conjunction with the unveiling of the SoMa Pilipinas, a Filipino Social Heritage Special Use District in San Francisco.
Each year, the SoMa community showcases the parol lantern - the quintessential Filipino symbol of hope, blessings, luck, peace, and light during the holiday season - and brightens the Jessie Square, Yerba Buena Lane and Mission Street between 3rd and 4th Street.

Theme for 2010: Heritage

The theme of this year's Parol celebration is "Heritage: Let it Shine!" Heritage refers to things or traditions we have inherited from past generations. There are several types of heritage: cultural heritage, neighborhood heritage, school heritage, family heritage, food heritage, etc. We encourage participating contingents to highlight their heritage through their parols and presentations. Examples: A school contingent might create a parol shaped like its mascot or highlight moments in the school's history. A community organization might pay tribute to its neighborhood heroes. There are endless possibilities!

Parol-Making Workshops

Want to learn how to make Parol star lanterns? Workshops are still going on at the Bayanihan Community Center, 1010 Mission St. 94103. You can also drop by the Parol-making workshops to purchase and pick-up materials. And if its your first time to make a Parol, you get that one for free. The remaining workshops for Novermber and December are:

Parol-making workshops at other locations

Join us for a workshop at the Exploratorium on Saturday, December 4th, 11am - 5pm (with paid entrance to museum) For more information please visit the Exploratorium website.

Exploratorium at the Palace of Fine Arts 3601 Lyon Street San Francisco, CA 94123

The Asian Art Museum is hosting a Parol-making workshop on Sunday, December 5th, 12pm – 4pm in the Samsung Hall (admission to the Museum on Sunday is free as part of First Free Sundays)

Asian Art Museum at 200 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA 94102

Parol Kits

Parol kits includes everything you need to get started building a star lantern: bamboo sticks, twist ties, rubber bands, tissue paper and cellophane. Available colors for cellophane are pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, white.

To order Parol-Making Materials, please click on the link below and fill out the following form. Ordered materials can be picked up Fridays at the Bayanihan, during Workshop hours. Please complete the on-line form prior to picking up the materials.

VOLUNTEER

Want to sign up to be a volunteer at this years Parol Lantern Festival, just click on the Volunteer button and fill out the form. Volunteers receive a free Parol Lantern Festival Hoodie, but must commit to volunteering for a least 5 hours that day. Volunteers must gather at the Bayanihan Commuity Center on Saturday, December 11, 9am - 10pm, the morning of the Parol Lantern Parade. If you have further questions about volunteer opportunities, email Jamie Mancini at jamie@bayanihancc.org.

Tala Award Winners of 2009

Grand Prize - Kasamahan - USF

The general purpose of Kasamahan is to promote the unity and solidarity of the Filipino American community by creating a campus wide environment that assertively affirms the richness and uniqueness of the many cultural experiences of members and by actively involving educational and pre-professional programs that aid the group in the assessment, development, and actualization of each member’s human potential and personal talents. Kasamahan strives to share, encourage participation, and educate others of the Pilipino culture. ‘great vibrant enthusiasm!!’

Second Prize - Canon Kip Senior Center

Canon Kip Senior Center has had an enduring presence in the South of Market community for decades serving diverse populations and age groups. The links with the Filipino senior community have been particularly strong and remain a central element of the case management, emergency financial aid, recreational activities and food programs that are offered. The Center is open 365 days per year from 8:30 AM until 3:00 PM. Please come by and say hello!

Third Prize - Veterans' Equity Center

Veteran Equity Center is nonprofit in the South of Market that serves Filipino World War II Veterans, their wives, widows, other Filipino Seniors providing direct service and a place where they can find assistance and a place they can call their second home. "The San Francisco Veterans Equity Center honors the valuable contribution of Filipino American WWII Veterans to freedom and democracy; Provides culturally and linguistically appropriate services and advocates for JUSTICE and EQUITY." This year’s parol was made with the of the "Mano Po" Interns of VEC.

We would like to thank our sponsors for the 2010 Parol Festival