Butuan City, Philippines—The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) wrapped up the 2024 Fiesta Haraya Creative Caraga Festival on October 18, after four days of celebrating the region’s vibrant creative industries. The festival featured a diverse array of artists and performers from Caraga, representing the four Creative Industries Clusters.
The festival, organized by DTI Caraga, aimed to unite local artisans, entrepreneurs, and businesses while showcasing an exciting variety of products, including handcrafted items, innovative fashion pieces, and other creative works.
One of the highlights of the fair was the Creative Crawl where the DTI partnered with seven locations to promote a culture of turning spaces into creative platforms.
The mapping contest was launched to encourage visits to the said spaces, which included a photo exhibit at Project Brew Cafe, a marketplace of pop-ups at Tapok Lokal, and a month-long art exhibit at the National Museum of the Philippines Butuan, among others.
In the succeeding days, the event featured conferences and panel discussions which aimed to gather inputs from creative stakeholders. The industry talks featured three speakers based outside Caraga, who were able to provide valuable insights of their expertise in the field of digital creative services, creative technology, and in bringing traditional craftsmanship into the global stage.
Additionally, the Fiesta Haraya featured several competitions, including the Creative Caraga Festival Song Competition. The band Biomusic was crowned champion among 20 participants for their entry, “Padayon sa Paglambo, Caraga!”
With the successful execution of its second festival this year, Fiesta Haraya has solidified its place as a significant event in Caraga’s creative calendar. The goal is to continue building on this momentum, fostering more collaborations, and providing platforms for creativity to flourish further.
Fiesta Haraya celebrates Caraga’s unique creative industries, bridging connections between artists, businesses, and cultural advocates. Organized annually through the Malikhaing Pinoy program of the DTI, the festival aims to elevate local talents, promote cultural heritage, and drive economic growth through creativity.
With components like the Creative Caraga Fair, insightful industry discussions, and interactive events like the Creative Caraga Crawl, Fiesta Haraya continues to be a platform for innovation, collaboration, and community engagement.
For more information, please visit DTI-Caraga on Facebook or e-mail caraga@dti.gov.ph END
