Theme for 2019 Parol Festival:
Tayo Ang Liwanag: We are the Light
Join us again for our 17th Year, December 14, 2019! Let’s celebrate a memorable evening of lights and laughter! Our theme for 2019 is Tayo Ang Liwanag: We are the Light. How does your parol design and performance relate to your cultural family traditions? How do you bring your Philippine Traditions to Light?
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 14, 2019, the community will be holding the 17th 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 - Tayo Ang Liwanag: We are the Light - in the design of their parol lanterns and presentation in conjunction with San Francisco's newest Filipino Cultural District, SoMa Pilipinas. 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 Streets. |
Parol-Making Workshops
Want to learn how to make Parol star lanterns? Workshops will be held almost every Friday in October, November & December at the Bayanihan Community Center, 1010 Mission Street, from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.
We can also help you set up lights inside your parol so remember to bring your own lights. We suggest LED Christmas lights for durability and energy-efficiency. |
October18 | 25
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November1 | 8 | 15 | 22
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December.6
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Sign up for a Parol Workshop to ensure space for your group.
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 Material Request Form button on the bottom of the page 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.
PAROL SIZE
12-inch Parol - $8.00
18-inch Parol - $10.00
To order Parol-Making Materials, please click on the Material Request Form button on the bottom of the page 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.
PAROL SIZE
12-inch Parol - $8.00
18-inch Parol - $10.00
VOLUNTEER
Want to sign up to be a volunteer at this year's 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 Community Center on Saturday, December 14, 9am - 10pm, the morning of the Parol Lantern Parade. If you have further questions about volunteer opportunities, email Bernadette Sy. [email protected]
Volunteer for Parol Festival
Tala Award Categories (new for 2016)
Representation of Theme
Student Organization
Performance
Best Overall
Student Organization
Performance
Best Overall
Tala Award Winners of 2017
- Grand Prize -- FEC Galing Bata Program
- Best Performance/Presentation -- Westbay Pilipino Multi-Service Center
- Best Contingent by a Student Group -- Migrante Soma/TL
- Best Parol Design, incorporating this year's theme -- FEC Galing Bata Program
Tala Award Winners of 2015
Parol Headlines from 2012
Listen to a story on “The California Report” at KQED
Read a featured story in Asian Week and at Golden Gate Express
Read a featured story in Asian Week and at Golden Gate Express
- Contingent Registration Form
- Production Information Form
- Material Request Form
- VOLUNTEER
- Bayanihan Community Center