Kadayawan Festival Guide: Davao's Harvest & Tribal Celebration
Kadayawan sa Dabaw is Davao City's thanksgiving festival, held in the third week of August. The name comes from the Mandaya greeting madayaw — good, valuable, beautiful — and the festival gives thanks for the harvest, for the bounty of the land, and for the eleven indigenous and Moro tribes who are native to the Davao region.
It is the largest festival in Mindanao and, unlike the Santo Niño festivals of the Visayas, its roots are agricultural and indigenous rather than Catholic.
When it happens
| Main weekend | Third week of August |
| Where | Davao City |
| Honours | Harvest, and the region's eleven tribes |
| Street dance | Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan |
| Float parade | Pamulak sa Kadayawan |
The main events
- Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan — the street dance competition, with contingents performing along a city route in costume drawn from the tribes' own traditions. This is the festival's centrepiece.
- Pamulak sa Kadayawan — the floral float parade, with floats built from fruit, flowers, and produce from across the region.
- Hiyas sa Kadayawan — a pageant in which candidates represent the eleven tribes.
- Agri-trade fairs and food markets running through the week.
The fruit, which is the point
Kadayawan is a harvest festival and Davao is the fruit capital of the Philippines. August is peak season, and the markets during the festival are extraordinary.
- Durian — Davao's signature, and the thing visitors either love or flee from. The Magsaysay Park fruit stalls are the traditional place to try it. Note that most hotels, malls, and aircraft prohibit it.
- Mangosteen — in season and superb.
- Pomelo, rambutan, marang, lanzones — all at their best in August.
Buying fruit at the roadside stalls during Kadayawan is cheaper and better than anywhere else in the country.
Practical planning
Book early. Davao's hotel stock is decent but Kadayawan fills it. Six to eight weeks ahead is sensible.
Getting there. Francisco Bangoy International Airport has frequent flights from Manila and Cebu, and the airport is close to the city.
Expect road closures along the parade routes on the main days, and plan to walk within the centre.
Give it more than a weekend. Davao is a large, spread-out city with genuine attractions outside the centre — Eden Nature Park, the Philippine Eagle Center, Samal Island a short ferry away. See things to do in Davao City.
What to bring
Light clothing, closed shoes, sun protection, and a rain layer — August is well within the wet season and afternoon downpours are normal. Cash in small notes for market stalls. A power bank.
Respecting the tribal dimension
The eleven tribes — the Ata, Bagobo Klata, Bagobo Tagabawa, Iranun, Kagan, Klata, Maguindanaon, Matigsalug, Maranao, Obu Manuvu, Sama, and Tausug among those represented — are living communities, not a theme. Their costumes, dances, and music at Kadayawan are presented by their own contingents. Photograph respectfully, ask before close portraits, and treat the cultural presentations as what they are.
Planning your days
The festival runs for most of August, but the two headline events fall on the third weekend and they are on different days — the street dance on one, the float parade on the other. If you are coming specifically for Kadayawan, arrive by the Friday and plan three nights.
Outside the parade days, the agri-trade fairs and the fruit markets are open all week and are considerably more relaxed. Some visitors deliberately come midweek for the markets and skip the crowds entirely.
Where to watch the parades
There is no single grandstand. Contingents move along a city route, and people position themselves along it hours ahead. Shade is the scarce resource — the sun is direct for most of the route and August humidity in Davao is high.
Elevated positions outside buildings along the route fill first. If you are not there early, the later stretches of the route are less crowded than the start, and the performers are just as committed by then.
Combining it with the rest of Mindanao
Davao works well as a base for a longer Mindanao trip. Samal Island is a short ferry hop, General Santos and the Sarangani coast are a few hours south, and the Bukidnon highlands are north. If you have flown this far, building the festival into a week rather than a weekend makes the airfare go further.
FAQ
When is Kadayawan? The third week of August, in Davao City.
What does Kadayawan mean? From the Mandaya madayaw, meaning good, valuable, or beautiful. It is a thanksgiving festival.
What are the main events? Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan (street dance) and Pamulak sa Kadayawan (floral float parade).
Is it a religious festival? No — its roots are agricultural and indigenous, unlike the Santo Niño festivals of the Visayas.
Can I try durian? Yes, August is peak season. Most hotels, malls, and airlines prohibit carrying it, so eat it where you buy it.
How do I get to Davao? Frequent direct flights from Manila and Cebu into Francisco Bangoy International Airport.
How far ahead should I book? Six to eight weeks for the main week.
Last verified: August 2026. Dates, routes, and event schedules are announced annually by the Davao City government.
More: things to do in Davao City, Zamboanga City, events in Davao City, or all music festivals.
Planning around the fiesta calendar? See every major Philippine festival month by month in the Philippine festivals calendar.