Nearly a year has passed since 2025’s tragic Lapu-Lapu Festival on Apr. 26, where a vehicle intentionally crashed into several people on the busy Vancouver street hosting the festival, injuring almost 30 people and killing 11. Subsequent support was given to the affected Filipino community through United Way British Columbia’s Kawpa Strong Fund, which helped raise over 2 million Canadian dollars. 36 different groups received grant money stemming from around 75 per cent of the funds raised within the Kawpa Strong Fund.
The non-profit organization Filipino BC announced on Jan. 7, that the Lapu-Lapu Day Festival 2026 is expected to take place on Apr. 17-19. They recognize that the grief is still affecting the community and emphasized that the intent of the festival is not only about celebrating Filipino culture, but also about honouring the lives lost and their families.
Alejandro Samper, who lost his parents and sister during the Festival’s tragedy, spoke with Global News about this year’s plans. He pleaded for the Festival organizers to consider suspending the Festival because the organizers never consulted the families of the people who lost loved ones in the attack.
“Give us time to heal, rather than going back at it.”
