First Day of LA County UbeFest 2026, A Phenomenal Success

CERRITOS, California — Day One of the Los Angeles County UbeFest 2026 was a blockbuster as thousands of Ube (Purple Yam) lovers and enthusiasts flocked at the front lots of Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) to take part in the massive two-day festival.

It was estimated that the two-day event's crowd turnout could reach 120,000 as the number of attendees who came to the first day of the festivities to support the event's 150 to 200 vendors offering ube-themed Filipino food, drinks, and a variety of unique and innovative cultural merchandise had significantly increased from 50,000 registered in last year's one-day UbeFest.

For the second straight year, Cerritos has served as the host city for UbeFest, slated April 11 and April 12, 2026.

Aside from showcasing community spirit surrounding ube, this year’s two-day event, organized by Los Angeles County UbeFest in partnership with the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Cerritos (FAC3) and leadership of Cerritos Mayor Lynda P Johnson, also highlighted Filipino talents through some musical performances and entertainment. Among the performances included FilAm Prince of Pop Garth Garcia, Kevin Hermogenes, Christiani Rebada, Jules Aurora, Erik Escobar, The FilHarmonic and among others. Winners of the 2025 Miss Philippines USA also graced the event's stage.

In her speech during the event, Johnson, who just assumed mayoralty last April 8, said UbeFest will continue to be a venue for bringing communities together to celebrate Filipino culture and heritage.

In an interview with The Filipino Correspondent Network, FAC3 president Demeven Quirino echoed Johnson's enthusiasm in using the UbeFest as effective tool for Filipino community to unite and gather together not only to elevate local businesses but also preserve and promote cultural awareness especially for young Filipino-Americans. "What I am particularly proud about this community event is the active participation of the youth," said Quirino who is the owner of Alco Printing & Packaging with over 25 years of diverse experience in software and web development.

Aside from Quirino, other directors of FAC3 who helped in the phenomenal success of UbeFest 2026 are: Ellen Rodriguez-Swing, Christine Consunji and Ron Dizon.

Ube Queen Diane Caneda, for her part, expressed gratitude to all the hardworking organizers of the UbeFest. "Thank you for your dedication to culture and community that truly makes this event possible. Let this event be a reminder that our roots are powerful, our stories matter and we come together through food, music and sharing experience. We create something truly extraordinary. Maraming salamat po and enjoy the sweetness of today and tomorrow," said Caneda, a pageant coach and cultural ambassador who holds the distinction of being the longest-reigning Miss Asia-USA, a title she proudly carried from 2019-2021.

UbeFest was first introduced to the Southern California pop-up scene in Long Beach in October 2021, the brainchild of founder James Oreste. With just a handful of vendors offering ube-centric treats, the first event was a blockbuster success, drawing three-hour lines and selling out across the board. The overwhelming response led James to expand UbeFest beyond California, hosting successful events in Berkeley, New Jersey, St. Louis, and even as part of Indianapolis’ Spark Fest.