Pass the Fried Bananas

When it comes to celebrations of cultural heritage, St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo have long dominated the city's appetite for culinary extravagance, shameless imbibing and occasional debauchery. It's high time, then, that we end the Western Hemisphere's supremacy on all matters of nation-based merriment.Strike the first blow today at Fiesta Filipina, a two-day festival at the Filipino Cultural Center (9810 West 79th Street in Overland Park). From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., you can find traditional Filipino food such as pancit, chicken adobo and lumpia, along with folk dances and music by the Sinag-Tala Performing Arts Troupe. Be sure to check out the traditional Filipino arts and crafts while indulging in a quick snack of a fried banana and a cantaloupe drink. The event costs $2 for adults and is free for children 12 and younger. For more information, see filipino-association.org.
Sat., June 14, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., June 15, 12-6 p.m., 2008