Hola, Escolta!: A timeless hub for culture and community

MANILA, Philippines – “There is freedom within. There is freedom without…“

Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over” was blasting through the noise in Fred’s Revolucion. The bar was bustling with people coming from the Escolta block festival. Tired of walking nonstop, my friend and I took refuge at the rustic bar counter. Cold beers in hand, we were screaming into each other’s ears, agreeing to call it a night. Suddenly, the song’s chorus played and the whole bar sang in unison:

“Hey now, hey now. Don’t dream it’s over!“

I sang along and all the exhaustion left my body. In this old Manila street surrounded by artists, partygoers, friends, foes (or anybody, really!), I felt a genuine sense of community. This was a moment that’ll always be so vivid to me. But this was back in 2019, right before the pandemic. With the collective weariness from cabin fevers, quarantine protocols, and other crises, I never thought I’d feel that way again. Thankfully, I was proven wrong last weekend at hola, Escolta!

Along the very same Manila street, surrounded by new and familiar places, I got that moment back. Except this time, I wasn’t just sitting at a barstool. With my fellow Rappler creative, DR, we were merchants for the outdoor art market.

In front of the First United Building, tents were lined up with all kinds of wares. Merchants displayed their art prints, stickers, vintage/reworked clothing, accessories, pottery, antiques, food, and so much more. At the center of the street was a DJ booth that played classics like Hotdog’s “Manila” and club beats such as “TikTok” by Kesha. People would stop in their tracks to dance or belt to songs.

Lastly, to add to the antique feel of Escolta, there were people dressed in their best Maria Clara-esque garbs, and performers in 1890s officer uniforms patrolling the area. Needless to say, I was happily overwhelmed while inspecting each tent.

But this was all only at the outdoor area; inside the First United Building itself was a whole other party.

Inside the art deco building, each floor was activated with their own initiatives. It was exciting to come up the spiral staircase, with everyone eager to discover different experiences with each climb. Some apartments had their own mini art markets, film screenings, talks, and even drag performances. I remember how surreal and fun it was to cheer on a fabulous drag queen while I was just in line for coffee. As I sat back at my table, powering through with my iced mocha, I watched the fair unfold into another core memory. It was one for the books, especially because I was part of it through the outdoor market. 

As a longtime art merchant, I’ve always treated tabling as a way to share bits of myself. It’s therapeutic to showcase what my hands can do. Whenever somebody gushes over a clay accessory I made, it’s as if I was a proud mom seeing my baby grow up. Knowing my lil’ trinket will go to a loving home and have a whole other life after me is the best feeling. It makes crunching numbers, organizing print orders, and hauling merch-filled bags all worthwhile.

Aside from the craft itself, art markets will always be my happy place because I bump into fellow merchants-turned-friends. In these chance encounters, we get to see our displays evolve, proud of each other because we know how many hats we have to painstakingly wear to be an independent artist. Because of this, we have to be selective with the markets we sign up for, and I’m glad I signed up for hola, Escolta! The whole day, my heart melted with the amount of customers and friends appreciating my work. I almost didn’t notice that the afternoon had already flown by.

When night came, light projections and lasers lit up the First United Building’s facade. The DJ started playing pop tracks that had everyone screaming. At our table, I sang along while packing orders. At one point, DR told me how amazing it was that something so old like Escolta could still be thriving in this day and age. Filled with artists, partygoers, friends, and foes, I felt the same sense of camaraderie I had back in 2019. The event proved that culture and community are timeless as long as we come together to bring it alive. Even with global disasters and all.

To quote a song I belted out back then: “Hey now, hey now. Don’t dream it’s over!” – Rappler.com