The chair of Filipino BC said holding a 2026 Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver is "important for collective healing" after the devastating vehicle attack last year that killed 11 people and injured dozens more.
RJ Aquino said the organization heard "loudly and clearly" from the community that it was important the cultural celebration returned to ensure it won't "only be remembered for the tragic events of April 26."
"It is going to continue to be a celebration and a healing event for everybody involved," he said in an interview Wednesday.
He said the 2026 event, which will take place one week before the anniversary of the attack, will pay tribute to the victims and anyone affected.
The organization said in a news release announcing the festival on Wednesday that it recognizes "the community’s shared grief."
Aquino said the organization has ensured the victims and their families have been "engaged in the whole process" as they plan the event, noting there will be at least one memorial gathering, though specific details will be released at a later date.
The festival will take place the weekend of April 17-19 and the group said it will be working closely with the City of Vancouver, the province and first responders to ensure safety measures are in place.
Adam Kai-Ji Lo, the man accused of plowing his vehicle through the crowded festival on April 26, 2025, faces 11 counts of second-degree murder and 31 charges of attempted murder.
A provincial court judge found him fit to stand trial in September.
The attack set off two reports on safety at community events, one each from the city and the province.
The B.C. government report made several recommendations to prevent similar attacks, including doing risk assessments on large and small events and creating a central training and support hub.
City of Vancouver officials said their review of public safety at outdoor events found that the Lapu Lapu festival was appropriately assessed as low risk and there was no indication that it would be the target of a vehicle ramming.
Some of the victims in the attack have filed a proposed class-action civil lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court, alleging Lo had been diagnosed with schizophrenia some time before the attack and that he had asked to have his antipsychotic medication reduced, even as his mental health was deteriorating.
The lawsuit names as defendants the City of Vancouver, Vancouver Coastal Health authority and Lo.
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
