Award-winning Filipino American actor and singer Sam Milby will headline the 29th Fiesta in America on Aug. 15 at American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, bringing one of the Philippines’ most recognizable entertainers to the East Coast’s biggest Filipino cultural gathering.
Milby will appear only on Saturday, the opening day of the two-day festival, which runs Aug. 15-16 and is free to the public.
Organizers are promising a weekend filled with music, dance, fashion, food and community spirit, turning the indoor venue into a lively showcase of Filipino pride and talent.
Also on the lineup is Sounds of Manila, a Filipino American band known for its crowd-pleasing performances rooted in the sounds of home. Recognized by the Aliw Awards in the Philippines for excellence in live entertainment, the group has built a following by blending familiar Filipino melodies with the energy of the live stage, creating a festive soundtrack that matches the spirit of the event.
Together with Milby, the band adds another draw for families and fans looking for a full day of entertainment.
Fiesta in America has long been a favorite gathering place for Filipino Americans in the New York-New Jersey area, bringing together families, artists, entrepreneurs and community leaders for a celebration that is as much about connection as it is about performance.
The event is designed to highlight Filipino culture while offering a welcoming space for people of all ages to enjoy local talent and learn more about the community.
This year’s festival will also feature about two dozen performers from across the tri-state area, giving emerging singers, dancers and cultural groups a chance to share the stage with bigger names. The mix of celebrity guests and homegrown artists has become one of Fiesta in America’s defining strengths, and it continues to give the event a strong local identity.
In addition to the stage performances, this year’s edition will include a fashion presentation by designer Elsie Clavin, whose work turns discarded materials such as coffee filters, banig mats, plastic spoons and packaging strips into striking clothing inspired by Filipino creativity. Her show will run on both days and adds another layer to the festival’s cultural programming.
Widely known as the largest indoor Filipino cultural and business expo on the East Coast, the festival’s weekend program includes trade booths, tourism promotion and live entertainment, all aimed at celebrating Filipino heritage while supporting small businesses and artists in the diaspora.
The festival was founded in 1996 by Fernando “Nanding” Mendez and his late wife Mila, who wanted to recreate the communal feeling of a Philippine town fiesta indoors. Since then, the event has grown into a major platform for Filipino American culture, commerce and community pride.
Fiesta in America (2014) and Sounds of Manila (2011) are former TOFA Awards honorees, recognized at New York’s Carnegie Hall, reflecting their lasting contributions to the Filipino American community.
