The Cavinti Club of Greater Toronto Area (GTA) once again will be hosting this year’s 4-day fiesta festivities in the GTA. Umbert Perez Villarica, the son of the late Dr. Nestor Villarica and now Esperanza de la Dingco (nee Perez) is this year’s chairperson. Together with his wife Perla, Bert has been spearheading all the efforts to ensure another successful fiesta celebration. A schedule of the events follows:

  • August 1, Friday: Traditional Bespiras Dinner feted by the Chairperson for local and Out-of-Town “mga kababayan” and guests
  • August 2, Saturday: Fiesta Picnic (Potluck) at Meadowvale Conservation Park in Mississauga
  • August 3, Sunday: Cavinti Night featuring Holy Mass Offering, Dinner and Dance at the Christ the King Banquet Hall in Misssissauga
  • August 4, Monday: Free Time whereby Out-of-Towners are either invited by individual locals to their residents for more intimate gathering or to Casino Rama for some games of luck. Others may opt for sight seeing of Toronto

As usual, The Cavinti Performing Arts will highlight the evening with their Feature Presentations in line with this year’s theme of “Rockin’ and Surfin.”

Chris Avelino, the son of Ed and Irma Linay-Avelino was confirmed as the next chairperson for the 2009 Fiesta. He was introduced to and presented at the Paluwagan held recently at the residence of Gil and Lennie Linay. Chris, in his brief speech, allayed concerns of drastic fiesta format change by stressing that his mandate is not to change but rather to enhance the Cavinti cultural heritage that has been entrenched in the GTA for almost three decades. Representing the Cavinti Paluwagan Kids (yes, they were still kids when the fiesta started in 1980), the incoming younger chairperson exudes great confidence when he gave the context of his agenda for Fiesta 2009, hoping some of the other young generations will follow suit.

[ISMAEL J CASTILLO]