Organizers promise a more fun Kadayawan

THE organizer of this year's 27th Kadayawan sa Dabaw promised a more colorful and more fun festival.

Lisette Marques, festival director of Duaw Davao Festival Foundation Inc., told Sun.Star Davao Friday that this year's Kadayawan will showcase the true sense of being Dabawenyo.

The highlight of Kadayawan sa Dabaw 2012 is slated on August 17-19.

Marques said many activities will be included that has not been featured in recent Kadayawan festivals.

Among these is the showcase of the cuisine of indigenous peoples (IP). This was once part of Kadayawan but for one reason or another has been removed from the festival.

"This we will give chance to our IP brothers and sisters by letting them showcase their own recipes for everybody's appreciation," Marques said.

Marques said, however, that all the major and traditional activities and events during Kadayawan will be retained as the highlights of this year's Kadayawan sa Dabaw.

The core activities of Kadayawan -- Indak indak sa Kadalanan and the Floral Float Parade -- will be held on August 18 and 19, while the finals of Hiyas sa Kadayawan will be on the 15th.

Unlike last year when the whole month of August was filled with activities, Marques said there will be no more Kadayawan activities after the 19th.

Hudyakaan, a street nightly show, will not be held the whole month and the venue is yet to be identified after Duaw received complaints from the residents and businesses around the area where the Hudyakaan was held last year.

The steering committees for this year’s Kadayawan are still in the process of finishing the line-up of activities for what the city dubs as "festival of festivals".

Marques said they are yet to discuss the budget they will allocate as their counterpart for this year's revelry.