Overview

Musikahan Festival is celebrated yearly in Tagum City every Febraury 21-27. This festival is considered as an all-inclusive music festival in the Philippines. It is a different kind of festival for it celebrates the talents of all Filipinos in general when it comes to music writing, performing, and inventing.

The celebration is expected to gather thousands of people who love and want to sing and dance along with the presentations of solo artists, marching bands, choral groups, drum-bugle-and-lyre corps performers, and other young musicians in the Himig Handog Chorale, Rondal Awit, and Avenida Musika Marching Brass Bands and Competition.

Objective

The Festival aims to showcase the talents and skills of Tagumeños in music. This occasion has drawn a large number of guests, both local and foreign. The goal of the festival is to offer the youth with more opportunities to excel in the music industry. The yearly event spawns an idea of a fairer and brighter future for the young people through the development of abilities in the arts and in the construction of creative ways for useful employment, especially for the out-of school youth. It also aims to continue the support of the culture and arts program not only in the province but also in the whole country. Lastly, the festival promotes Tagum City as the Music Capital of Mindanao.

Location

Tagum City, the Cultural Center of Mindanao, is situated in Davao del Norte. It is located in southern Mindanao. It is bordered in the north by the towns of Asuncion and New Corella; in the south by Davao Gulf; in the east by the towns of Maco and Mawab; and in the west by the towns of Carmen and Dujali. Tagum City is one of the country’s top 10 fastest built-up cities.

Some Activities/Events

• Pasiklaban/Battle of the Band

This is the competition for different bands. The contenders play different types of music depending on the category.

• Biyaheng Musikahan (Mindanao Music Video)

This is the songwriting contest with a 10-minute music video presentation showcasing the local tourism of the province.

• Musikahan sa Barangay – Magsadya Ta!

This competition showcase the creativity and ability of the local people, commemorate the spirit of the Musikahan sa Tagum at the local level, and promote recreation for the townsfolk and guests in the barangay.

• Kasikas sa Dalan (Drum and Bugle Corps (DBC) or Drum and Lyre Corps (DLC) Competition)

It is a street show of synchronized dance presentation to the musical melodies of drums, bugles, and lyres from the different participating groups of Mindanao Region.

• Avenida Musika Marching Brass Band Competition

It is a competition of various marching bands presented in the parade.

• Awitan-Limahan

This is an extravagant performance of five voices in one musical performance by the different singing ambassadors from the province.

• Himig Handog

It is a choral competition in a concert arrangement performed by the different singing groups.

• Rondalsayaw

It is a beautiful mixture of string band and folk dance contest participated by the different music and dance groups.

• Musikahan Parade

This is a road procession with a visual display through a creative and fantastic float parades and competition representing the annual festival theme.

• Pagpupugay

This is the Grand Culmination Night. It has a two-hour music performance as a proper way of making tributes and recognizing the skill of the Filipinos in the field of music.

• RTU Music-Makers

It is a concert presentation of various kinds of songs like rock 'n roll, pop, Latin, jazz, folk, Broadway musicals, RnB, and other Pinoy Hits Songs.

How to Get There

From Manila, you can reach Tagum City by riding a plane going to Davao City. You can also travel by sea to Sasa International Seaport. From Davao City, you can get to Tagum City by riding public transport vehicles.