DAVAO City's newest festival, Duaw Davao, introduces exciting events for locals to enjoy and experience. Among these, the Tourismo Arts and Food Trucks Bazaar, running from June 27 to June 30, stands out.
Organized by Toffy Ledesma, this bazaar distinguishes itself by spotlighting food trucks and local artistic talent.
The event, expected to draw between 500 and 800 visitors, features 15 food trucks and showcases 80 art exhibits, including paintings, sculptures, and mixed media works from Davao's diverse artists.
“We will be curating elegant and very artistic concepts for the art exhibit diha sa atoang [at the] Rizal Park wherein we will be having 80 art exhibits, paintings from the local artists of Davao and also we will be showcasing 15 to 16 sculptures made by the local sculptors of Davao,” Ledesma said.
The bazaar serves as a platform for both emerging and established Davao City artists to exhibit their work.
Notable displays include "Our Colors" by Genevieve Dago-oc and Niño Acero, in collaboration with Pasukadoy, benefiting children from isolated areas. The funds collected from their interactive workshops during the exhibit will be used to purchase art supplies and materials for the children.
Joy Sabitsana, a brain stroke survivor, presents "Fragments of Survival," sharing her reflections on modern-day miracles through her artistic journey.
Lito Pepito's unique Soft Pastel artworks also grace the exhibit, highlighting his distinctive style rarely seen today.
The event's first day drew enthusiastic tourists like King Lubaton from Digos City, eager to explore the diverse offerings from food trucks to art exhibits.
"Lingaw siya kay daghan nagatinda diri, so daghang mapilian ang mga customers (There's so much to choose from here, making it enjoyable for visitors)," Lubaton said.
However, he hopes that the event can be further enhanced and sustained to attract more tourists and visitors, especially those from Manila, to visit Davao and Mindanao in general.
Bea Condez was drawn to the arts on display, intrigued by the Tourismo and Food Trucks Bazaar's unique blend.
"It brings people together to discover more about Davao. I hope it continues to thrive, sharing our heritage, art, and culture," she said.
Jasmine Guevar, an exhibitor at one of the food trucks, expressed gratitude to the city government for providing a platform to showcase their products.
Princess Abadiano from Dumaguete City sees great potential in the event, praising its innovation and utilization of local resources.
SunStar Davao’s Duaw Davao Festival special coverage is in partnership with the Davao City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) and sponsored by Santos Land Development Corporation, Converge, and Alsons Development. With Charles Lj Sido/ Sunstar Davao Intern