Fil Amm- owned small businesses thrive as street fairs make a comeback in New York Cit y

by MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

THE history of street fairs in New York City can be traced back to the early 20th century when immigrant communities began organizing outdoor festivals to celebrate their cultural heritage.

These events, which feature food, music, and other forms of entertainment, were often held in public spaces like parks and plazas and provided an opportunity for new arrivals to connect with their fellow countrymen and share their traditions with the wider community.

Augelyn Francisco and her partner Joey Payumo recognized this and began hosting ministreet fairs outside their Kabisera Café in the Lower East Side. They gathered other small FilAm-owned businesses and staged these pop-up markets.

Through the years, their numbers grew. Today, as a group called Philippines Fest, they can occupy an entire city block as a part of the larger street fairs in the city. Among the OG members of the collective are VJ Navarro of So Sarap, Daniel Corpuz, Craig Nisperos, and Hatzumomo founder Paulo Manaid.

“There is a big world out there and they are waiting to know about Filipino food,” Francisco told the Asian Journal. “It is a proud moment to see all the Philippine flags out here on Sixth Avenue representing different kinds of small businesses.”

Street fairs have been a fixture of New York City’s cultural landscape for over a century, providing a platform for local businesses and artists to showcase their goods and talents to the public.

These events, which typically take place on weekends during the warmer months, have become an integral part of the city’s social fabric, drawing crowds from all over the five boroughs and beyond.

This is what makes it a good platform for these upand-coming small businesses to be exposed to a wider market and this is why vendors such as Michael Williams of Salamat Cookies do not mind the travel from Indianapolis to NYC.

Salamat Cookies, founded by Michael Williams, a secondgeneration Filipino American from Indianapolis, Indiana, has become a sensation, shipping