Carson to mark and celebrate Philippine Independence Day

An all-day festival in Carson featuring non-stop cultural and patriotic performances and various entertainments for the entire family will mark the 125th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day.

THE event will take place on Saturday, June 10 from 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Veterans Park, located at 22400 Moneta Avenue in Carson. The celebration is open to the public and admission is free.

Non-stop entertainment will begin at 11 a.m. featuring the best Filipino American entertainers in Southern California. Food and display booths are also lined up for the day’s activities. Flag raising ceremony will kick off the day’s ceremonies at 7:30 a.m. and a parade of various regional organizations from the Philippines and America at 10 a.m.

Topping the list of this year’s guests is entertainer, TV host and actress, Pops Fernandez. Dubbed as the Philippines’

Concert Queen for the last four decades, Pops has performed internationally and locally in sold out shows, arenas and previously with ensembles before transitioning from music acting on big screen to hosing successful TV shows such Penthouse Live! and ASAP. She also had a record-breaking ticket sale for her concert called Shindig which also achieved praise through album sales and international tours from 1999-2002 and two Box Office films through Viva Entertainment.

In the City of Carson, which is home to the largest concentration of Filipinos outside of the Philippines, the celebration of Philippine Independence Day is a yearly festival that draws thousands of Filipinos and non-Filipinos of all ages from all over Southern California. It is a commemoration of the birth of the Philippine republic after over 300 years of Spanish rule. This is the premiere Filipino event in the United States.

“Philippine Independence Day has been celebrated in the City of Carson since 1986, making it the largest and longest running Filipino event in a city that has about 20% of our roughly 100k population being of Filipino descent. I am proud to continue to be a part of this successful event working with Councilmembers Jim Dear and Arleen Rojas on its ongoing success,” said the President of Filipino Community of Carson, Elito M. Santarina.

On behalf of the citizens of the great City of Carson, we extend our sincerest appreciation to the Filipino Community of Carson for their exceptional dedication in ensuring a successful event each year to celebrate this important historical occasion. It is truly a delight to see the diversity of Carson celebrated through cultural events such as this. Thank you for giving the community the opportunity to see and experience the richness of Philippine history and culture, and for making a wonderful contribution to the ethnic diversity that makes Carson great, that is the consensus of the people of Carson.

The celebration is a joint undertaking of the City of Carson and the Filipino Community of Carson. For more information about the event, please contact city staff at Veterans Park at (310) 830-9991 or (424) 202-1463.

Certified Farmer’s Market at Compton College open for business

Fresh Fruits And Vegetables Are Being Offered To The Public

Local community members are invited to the weekly Certified Farmers’ Market at Compton College in partnership with Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA). The market is an excellent opportunity for students, district employees, and members of the community to stock up on affordable, fresh produce straight from the farm.

All currently enrolled Compton College students are eligible for a weekly $20 voucher to spend at the farmers’ market. Students just need to present their student ID at the information table at the farmers’ market to pick up their voucher.

At the market, attendees may use their CalFresh EBT benefits, WIC, and Senior

Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks (FMNP) to purchase groceries. The market features popular programs, such as the Los Angeles County supported American Res- cue

CalFresh can be used toward ARP Market Match incentives to receive up to $20 to buy fruits and vegetables at the market. This program is vital in supporting local farmers in promoting sustainable food systems and community food security.

Compton College is dedicated to helping support the needs of our students and community by finding the perfect partners to support these endeavors. SEE-LA’s mission is to build sustainable food systems and promote social and cultural activities, that benefit both low to moderate income residents of the greater Los Angeles area while also supporting small- and mid-sized farms in California, as well as local small businesses.

The Certified Farmers’ Market is held every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Tartar Village, located at 1111 E. Artesia Boulevard, Compton, CA 90221. Parking is available in Lot A (off Artesia Blvd.) and Lot F (off Greenleaf Blvd.) for $3. More information available online at https://seela.org/markets-compton-college/.

Accepting New Farmers’ Market Vendors

The farmers’ market is currently seeking new vendors; those that are interested are encouraged to apply. Farmers, food vendors, artisans, community partners, nonprofits, and more can apply to become a vendor online at https://seela.org/become-a-vendor.