Your Fil-Am Weekend Guide: Where the Bayanihan Spirit Is Alive, March 27–29, 2026
Your Fil-Am Weekend Guide: Where the Bayanihan Spirit Is Alive, March 27–29, 2026
From the FPACC leadership summit in Las Vegas and a Michelin-recognized Filipino restaurant in SF to the Imelda Marcos musical extended in LA — your community guide for the last weekend of March.
Kumusta, PinoyBuilt family. Your Tito Editor here. I've been scouring the grapevine — from the Bay to Vegas to the East Coast — to see where our community is showing up and showing out this final weekend of March. The short answer: everywhere. Filipino-American chambers are convening nationally, a Filipino fine-dining restaurant just landed on the Michelin Guide, and the Imelda Marcos disco musical is still packing the house in LA. The bayanihan spirit doesn't take weekends off.
Here is your consolidated Fil-Am community guide for Friday, March 27, through Sunday, March 29, 2026.
The Greater Los Angeles area is home to the largest Filipino-American population in the United States — over 500,000 strong. That concentration of community is exactly why Center Theatre Group chose the Mark Taper Forum for the West Coast premiere of Here Lies Love, the disco-pop musical about Imelda Marcos. The entire cast of more than twenty performers is Filipino or Filipino American — one of the largest all-Filipino casts ever assembled for a major American stage production.
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Pagtitipon (pahg-tee-TEE-pon)
Noun. A gathering; a coming-together of people for a shared purpose.
From the root tipon (to gather, to collect). It carries a warmth that the English word "meeting" doesn't — pagtitipon implies intention, community, and celebration. Whether it's a business summit in Las Vegas or a night market in San Jose, every event on this list is a pagtitipon in the truest sense.
Community & Business Events
FPACC National Leadership Summit: ELEVATE (Las Vegas, NV)
Date & Time: Friday, March 27 – Sunday, March 29, 2026
Location: M Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV
The Federation of Philippine American Chambers of Commerce is gathering chamber leaders from across the country for three days of leadership training, trade development, and national collaboration. Co-hosted by the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Nevada (FACCGN), this is the premier networking event for Fil-Am entrepreneurs this spring. If you're looking to scale your business or find a mentor, this is the room to be in.
Investing Forward: Philippine Economic Outlook (Chicago, IL)
Date & Time: Friday, March 27, 2026 | Morning Session
Location: Philippine Consulate General, Chicago, IL
Hosted by the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), this event is essential for Fil-Ams exploring investment opportunities back home. A deep dive into the 2026 economic forecast for the Philippines.
DMV Filipino Day Party: Lumpia Fest Edition (Falls Church, VA)
Date & Time: Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Crescendo Studios, Falls Church, VA
For our DC/Maryland/Virginia crew — music, talent showcases, and an abundance of lumpia. A high-energy social for all ages that brings together the East Coast Fil-Am community.
Food & Dining
🏅 Restaurant Naides Joins the Michelin Guide (San Francisco, CA)
The biggest Filipino food story of the week: Restaurant Naides on Bush Street in San Francisco was officially added to the Michelin Guide California on March 25. Chef Patrick Gabon — born and raised in the Philippines — and his partner Celine Wuu have created a Filipino-forward fine-dining tasting menu that combines California-foraged ingredients with traditional techniques like fermenting, pickling, and curing. The Michelin inspectors praised Gabon's "colorful creations" and called the restaurant a "labor of love" named after his mother.
The eleven-to-thirteen course menu ($205 per person) includes reimagined lumpia, an abalone-focused sinigang, adobo duck breast marinated for a week, and a pandesal bread service with chicken sisig and atchara that is setting a new standard. Reservations are already booked out weeks in advance — secure yours now before the inevitable star buzz pushes the waitlist even further.
Alameda Point Night Market: Women's History Month Edition (Alameda, CA)
Date & Time: Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Faction Brewing, 2350 Saratoga St, Alameda, CA
Hosted by Malaya Botanicals — whose name comes from the Tagalog word malaya (freedom) — this night market celebrates Pinay-owned businesses. Look for Fely's Cuisine, Pinoy's Place, and Ube Area Bakery among the vendors. Support our kababayan female founders.
Jollibee Lenten Favorites & Seafood City Quick Stop
It's Lenten season, which means the Tuna Pie is back at Jollibee locations nationwide. If you're heading to any Bay Area event this weekend, stop by Seafood City for a quick halo-halo or fresh turon to fuel the outing.
Crying Tiger & Kitty's Cosmopolitan Club (Chicago, IL)
Opening Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Location: 51 W. Hubbard St, Chicago
A new Southeast Asian concept with strong ties to the local Filipino culinary scene. From the minds behind Sarima, expect Filipino-inspired street market "speakeasy" vibes as the concept evolves through spring.
Arts & Entertainment
"Here Lies Love" — Extended Through April 5 (Los Angeles, CA)
Performances: Friday, March 27 @ 7:30 PM | Saturday & Sunday Matinees and Evenings
Location: Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave, Los Angeles
The David Byrne and Fatboy Slim disco-pop musical about the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos continues its LA premiere — now extended through April 5 due to demand. Directed by Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Snehal Desai, this production features an all-Filipino cast of more than twenty performers, including Reanne Acasio as Imelda and Joshua Dela Cruz as Aquino. The design team is predominantly Filipino. The dramaturg is Filipino. This is not just a show about the Philippines — it is a show by the Philippines, staged in the heart of the largest Fil-Am community in America.
— Snehal Desai, Director, Here Lies Love (Variety)
SAM Remix: "Seattle Fever Dream" (Seattle, WA)
Date & Time: Friday, March 27, 2026 | 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Location: Seattle Art Museum (SAM), Seattle, WA
A late-night museum takeover featuring live music and community art. Local Fil-Am creatives are a staple of the Seattle art scene — a great gathering spot for the PNW diaspora.
Sports & Recreation
NCAA Women's Basketball: UCLA vs. Minnesota — Round of 16 (Sacramento, CA)
Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
The Fil-Am community in NorCal is showing up to support the Bruins. With Fil-Am student organizations like Samahang Pilipino cheering courtside, it's the place to be for sports fans this Friday. This isn't a "Filipino league" — but our presence in the stands is unmistakable.
Family Pick: The Best Bet
365 Night Market (San Jose, CA)
Date & Time: Friday, March 27 & Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Location: Grand Century Mall, 1111 Story Rd, San Jose, CA
Admission: Free
This is your undisputed family winner for the weekend. Over forty vendors, global street food (including plenty of Filipino options), and the kind of buzzing outdoor atmosphere where you'll inevitably run into long-lost cousins while holding a stick of isaw. It's free, it's outdoors, and with Bay Area highs in the mid-70s, the weather is cooperating perfectly. Bring the kids. Bring the titas. Bring everyone.
Community Honors
Shoutout to Mabelle Hueston, appointed to the UC Board of Regents, and Cirian Villavicencio, reappointed to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. Our leaders are at the table in higher education — and that matters.
Weather
Bay Area: Gorgeous weekend ahead. Friday highs in the mid-70s; Saturday and Sunday stay clear with highs in the high 60s to low 70s. Perfect "light jacket at dusk" weather for night markets and outdoor events.
Los Angeles: Warm and clear. Highs reaching 80°F to 82°F. Sunscreen is mandatory for any outdoor plans — and hydrate before heading to the Mark Taper Forum.
Las Vegas: Dry and pleasant. Mid-70s. Summit attendees won't need to worry about weather — just make sure you step outside the M Resort long enough to enjoy it.
Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Nevada (FACCGN) — ELEVATE Summit details
SFist — Naides added to Michelin Guide California
Gazetteer SF — Naides Michelin Guide coverage
SF Standard — Restaurant Naides review
Variety — Here Lies Love LA premiere
Time Out Los Angeles — Here Lies Love extended through April 5
Center Theatre Group — Here Lies Love official page
Asian Journal — Here Lies Love feature
FunCheap SF — 365 Night Market San Jose
Seattle Art Museum — SAM Remix
Eventbrite — DMV Filipino Day Party
NCAA — Women's Basketball tournament schedule
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J.F.R. Perseveranda
J.F. (Jonjo) left the Philippines at age nine, spending a lifetime bridging the gap between his Marikina roots and his Chicago/Vallejo upbringing. A proud Hogan Spartan from East Vallejo and resident of LA/SF, he founded PinoyBuilt not just as a digital archive, but as a cultural compass for his three children to navigate their heritage, language, and identity with Pinoy Pride.
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