SAN DIEGO — Cultural expressions from Mexico, Spain and the Philippines will be vividly displayed Sunday under the umbrella of the Tri-Cultural Music and Dance Festival at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.

A four-hour marathon of music and dance will feature ethnic foods along with nonstop live entertainment--all designed to highlight historical ties among the three ethnic groups.

During its 20-year history, the cultural center has focused on Chicano culture, especially the arts of Mexico. But Sunday's concert, scheduled to run from 2 to 6 p.m. at the center's Balboa Park facility, will be its first foray into the art forms of the Philippines.

"Our mission is to preserve Mexican culture, but we like to think up ways to collaborate with other colorful cultures," said Eloise De Leon, Performing Arts Coordinator for the center.

Lolita Carter, founder of the Samahan Philippine Dance Company, conceived and coordinated the event to celebrate what she called "a common heritage."

"You know, the Philippines and Mexico were both part of Spain at the same time," Carter said. "Both were colonized in 1521. Of course, there are differences, but the Filipinos are very Spanish in their music and dances, and their food and customs are very similar. I wanted to explore our common heritage in this festival.

"I asked Carlos Santoyo (director of the Mexican Folklorico troupe) and Carla Herredia (leader of the Spanish-flavored flamenco ensemble) to participate, because you have to bring in Mexican and flamenco dance when you (focus) on the common links between Mexican and Philippine dance," she said.

"The Mexicans borrowed a lot from us, and vice versa," Carter said. "That was inevitable since the Philippines were governed from Mexico, and there was a lot of trade exchange between Acapulco and Manila. When you see the dances side by side, you will notice these shared roots."

Carter organized the festival to showcase that common artistic ancestry, but she also wanted to provide a broader cultural context for the ethnic dance and music. She invited Rizalino Oades, a history professor at San Diego State University, to introduce the event with a historical overview of the colonization of Mexico and the Philippines. In addition, the artistic directors of each group will talk about their art before the performances.