On a campus that’s constantly being shaped by the cultures, traditions, and experiences of a vibrant student body, certain events are capable of doing more than filling an auditorium. They provide an impact on the community. At this year’s Student Leadership Awards hosted by the Division of Student Affairs, the Filipino American Student Organization’s (FASO) annual showcase, Fiestang, was named Club Event of the Year, not only because of the impressive scale of its production, but because of the sense of connection it created at the University of Notre Dame.
For Carlos Jison, director of Fiestang, the recognition means a lot, but it represents something more significant than a night of success. Rather, it is reflective of months of dedication, collaboration, and teamwork that’s intertwined in FASO.
“Winning event of the year is really just a culmination of all the hard work that FASO has put in over the past three to six months in the development of the show, “ Jison said. “It’s really just like a cherry on top of everything.”
This “everything” is exactly what defines Fiestang. It is more than a performance, it is the FASO’s annual cultural showcase. Dating back to the nineties and continuing to evolve each year, it is a long-standing tradition. But while the event itself has grown, its purpose has remained just as powerful: creating a space of collaboration where culture, community, and identity can be transformed into something empowering.
This year’s production, Midnight Harana, leaned into that exact purpose. Taking inspiration from Filipino courtship practices, the show relays themes of relationships, families, and the small moments that define them.
“The biggest takeaway I had from living in the Philippines was family,” Jison shared. “That’s something we really wanted to bring into Fiestang this year. Family is very much intertwined into the script but it’s also at the core of what we were trying to do with Fiestang as a whole.”
The theme is echoed far beyond the basic script. While many cultural showcases prioritize performance-focusing on choreography, music, and visual spectacle- Fiestang placed emphasis on the aspects of storytelling. Starting at the earliest stages of planning, Jison and the FASO board prioritized a strong narrative foundation.
“Often times, the story is just there to string together the acts,” he said. “But from the jump, we knew we wanted the storyline to be really important.”
In order to bring that vision to life, the team was able to form a community dedicated to storytelling that ensured each performance contributed to a cohesive and emotionally enriching experience.
At the true center of that experience is a story that is more important than cultural specificity. It follows a college student who brings a partner home to meet their family, tapping the narrative into widely recognizable and applicable themes.
“In terms of how Fiestang was so unique, I think that’s one of the aspects. I think everybody loves a good love story,” Jison said.
This universality has allowed Fiestang to reach audiences that extend far beyond the Filipino community. The event sold out Washington Hall, an achievement that even Jison didn’t expect.
“It was one of the most shocking things ever. Selling out for a cultural show is almost unheard of. To sell out Washington Hall was just an incredible honor and blessing,” he said.
But what really made the show so special wasn’t just its impressive turnout, but the experience the audience had. Through creative direction and planning, the production wasn’t limited to just the stage itself. Moments on the balcony and performances through the audience provided an unforgettable experience.
“We tried to use the hall to the best of its ability,” Jison said, describing how the show transformed into something interactive and immersive.
Behind the scenes, the same sense of immersion can be seen in how the show was built. Rather than being a product of a single vision, Fiestang was a deeply collaborative effort that relied on dozens of students working across multiple areas.
One of the most significant parts of the process, Jison emphasized, were the team members who helped bring the vision of the production to life. He worked alongside a group of talented assistant directors. Each led different parts that made the show so special, from logistics and marketing to choreography and storytelling,
“This show was so special because we had so many people involved. I had such an incredibly talented group of assistant directors,” Jison said. “They were all phenomenal in leading their parts of the show and it was incredibly gratifying to see them thrive in those positions”
It was through their leadership that responsibility could be effectively distributed across committees. This system allowed students to contribute to the production in ways that were reflective of their personal strengths.
“The way people contributed really reflected what they were good at,” Jison said. “I feel like something that really made Fiestang so special this year was really trying to put members of the FASO community in the position to be the best versions of themselves and utilize their talents to best benefit our team.”
This structure of collaboration didn’t only make the production as impressive and well-made as it was, but also allowed for a depended sense of ownership within the community. Students weren’t just participating in the production; they were building something they could be proud of.
Even the challenges that come with this process became meaningful. Moments of stress, especially during first rehearsals, weren’t seen as obstacles but rather as proof that students were dedicated to its success,
“The stress and the desire for everything to be perfect… it shows that people really care. People are deeply, deeply invested into this show. It’s not necessarily something you see on stage but it’s what ended up making Fiestang so great,” Jison said.
It was this care and dedication that transformed Fiestang from a production to something much more personal and significant.
“Fiestang is really the event where FASO goes from a strong community to a family. Family is something that I associate with FASO since coming to Notre Dame,” he said.
This sense of family goes beyond identity. While Fiestang is rooted in the unique culture of the Filipino community, it’s welcoming to the entire Notre Dame community. Students from all backgrounds are encouraged to not only attend the event but take part in the unique experience.
“This event brings people from all around campus. You have members of the broader Notre Dame community come unite and give their gifts and talent to the show. The collection of talent reveals the unity of FASO and Notre Dame. You don’t have to be Filipino. We welcome everybody,” Jison said.
This openness to all cultures and backgrounds creates an enriching and open space where everyone can contribute, having the opportunity to step into roles they may have never imagined for themselves. Carlos explains one instance in which Gianna Castillo, a close friend of his, joined the production just a week before the show. She stepped up to take on the critical technical role of sound and played a huge part in the success of the show.
Moments like this show what events make possible. It’s not just a performance, but an opportunity for students to discover new strengths, vibrant culture, and step outside their comfort zones. Through these experiences, they can become part of something larger than themselves.
The conversation regarding diversity often focuses on representations. Fiestang, however, offers a different perspective. By showing how belonging can be created through relationships, shared effort, and community, it is clear that it takes more than numbers to create a welcoming and enriching community.
“You can’t just look at the numbers. They don’t tell the whole story,” Jison said. “It’s about the people you’re in community with that will define your Notre Dame experience. These cultural shows aren’t just incredible displays of the culture and talent of the multicultural community at Notre Dame, but they’re also incredible opportunities for these communities to get closer.”
It is in this manner that Fiestang contributes to the broader fabric that makes up Notre Dame. Like a quilt made up of different pieces and patterns, this university is shaped by the cultures of its’ communities. Events like Fiestang do more than showcase ethnicities and backgrounds. It allows that fabric to be actively created, one thread at a time.
Fiestang’s recognition also reflects a broader pattern. Fiestang is now the third MSPS-affiliated event to receive Club Event of The Year, following Seoul’d Out by the Korean Student Association and the Black Business Association’s Trip to Silicon Valley. Three wins in four years is indicative of the growing influence of multicultural student organizations across campus.
Still, for Jison and the FASO community, Fiestang is more than the award they may have won. It’s meaning is found in the process, collaboration, and relationships the community was able to form along the way.
“I think it really shows the unity, the family, and the community that FASA has,” Jison said.
As Notre Dame continues to grow and evolve, events like Fiestang are indications of what makes the university so strong. By creating spaces where culture is not only experienced, but celebrated, Notre Dame is home to a community where anything can be achieved.
Originally published by at msps.nd.edu on April 17, 2026.
Fiestang 2026 was sponsored in part by the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies in the Keough School of Global Affairs.