For the first time in two years, the Filipino Community Inc. will be holding its annual Christmas party in Juneau. It’s the organization’s first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rachel Carrillo Barril, a FilCom board member, says she’s been going to the parties since she was a child.
“We’ve always done Christmas parties,” she said. “Usually we have a mixture of American and Filipino food for the holiday and some dessert and drinks.”
Carrillo Barril says the party traditionally includes Christmas carols followed by games and presents for kids — and there’s usually a door prize.
“After all that, it’s usually dancing,” she said. “Usually, a lot of the elders like to do their cha-cha dancing or their line dancing and that kind of stuff.”
Carrillo Barril says the party is FilCom’s next step toward re-engaging the Juneau community after the long absence of in-person events during the pandemic.
“We’re hoping that this event will just bring back interest into the community and we could start getting people comfortable with participating in the meetings, and providing our other services and programs,” she said.
The Christmas party will be held this Saturday, Dec. 10, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Filipino Community Hall downtown. There is no entry fee, and everyone in the Juneau community is welcome to attend.
This story is part of KTOO’s participation in the America Amplified initiative to use community engagement to inform and strengthen our journalism. America Amplified is a public media initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
America Amplified
KTOO is amplifying the voices of Filipinos in Alaska. We want to hear from you. What stories would you like to share or learn more about?
