A festival being held next week aims to showcase the delights of Filipino food and culture.
The Philippine Kultura Food Festival will be held at the Duncairn Arts Centre in North Belfast on Sunday, July 31, from 11am until 4pm. On the day, those visiting can look forward to an array of food and craft vendors, an outdoor BBQ, cultural dances and Filipino musicians.
Festival's organiser Nallaine Calvo set up a business called KUBO two years ago at the beginning of lockdown. Moving from London to Belfast four years ago, she began to grow homesick for Filipino cooking and so decided to launch her own food outlet.
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Operating as a home business before a stint at the Hill Street Hatch, KUBO has now opened at Trademarket on Belfast's Dublin Road. Describing KUBO as a "food experience," Nallaine said it's all about comforting home-style Filipino dishes while educating about the unique Filipino culture through food, events and supper clubs.
The Philippine Kultura Food Festival has the same ethos as this - sharing the unique food and culture of the Philippines with a wider audience.
"We just thought now was the time to start this festival," Nallaine told Belfast Live.
"KUBO as been around for two years now, we've been on a mission to educate about Filipino food and culture through our kamayan supper clubs. But we really wanted to work with others in the Filipino community, other Filipino businesses - that is so important to us.
"We're our own business, but we're part of a much larger community. There are over 3,500 Filipino people living in Northern Ireland.
"There are so many Filipino small businesses in Northern Ireland and I really wanted to showcase that. The festival is a collective effort of our community to make ourselves known, to say this is who we are and what we do."
On July 31, there will be over 20 vendors on site at the Duncairn, including KUBO's very own Filipino BBQ outside.
Nallaine added: "We're very excited about it, there are so many talented Filipino artisans out there. It's the little things and the little steps, we're hoping we can showcase our community through our food and culture."
The organisers are also working alongside the charity Ten Foundations for the Kultura festival. The Belfast-based charity supports vulnerable children, families, and communities in the Philippines.
You can find out more about The Philippine Kultura Food Festival by clicking here.
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