KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines — Visitors heading to North Cotabato’s Kalivungan Festival may want to make an extra stop at Kidapawan City’s booth, where hundreds of kilos of locally grown tropical fruits — plus fruit-flavored ice cream — are set to be given away for free.
Kidapawan City is bringing a smaller version of its hugely popular Fruit-Eat-All-You-Can attraction to the provincial capitol grounds in Barangay Amas as North Cotabato celebrates its 112th founding anniversary through the Kalivungan Festival.
City Agriculturist Marisa Aton said at least 500 kilograms of assorted fruits are expected to be served to visitors on Thursday, August 27.
Among the fruits lined up are some of Mindanao’s most recognizable harvests, including durian, lanzones, rambutan, marang and mangosteen.
But the attraction will not stop with fresh fruit.
Kidapawan is also preparing free ice cream made from flavors inspired by tropical fruits grown in the city, giving festivalgoers another taste of the agricultural products for which the area has become known.
Aton said visitors may get as much ice cream as they want while supplies last, effectively turning the booth into another eat-all-you-can attraction during the festival.
Another Free Fruit Feast Coming on September 1
The first fruit distribution at the Kidapawan booth is scheduled for August 27, but city officials say another round of free fruits and ice cream is planned for September 1, the culmination of the Kalivungan festivities.
The weeklong celebration officially opens on August 26 and concludes September 1, with Kidapawan City and municipalities across Cotabato putting up booths showcasing locally produced goods and other products.
Kidapawan Mayor Jose Paolo Evangelista had earlier encouraged people to visit the city’s booth, saying fruit giveaways may sometimes be announced as surprises during the celebration. The city government also confirmed that free ice cream would be available to visitors.
Kidapawan Is Coming Off a Massive 50,000-Person Fruit Feast
The Kalivungan giveaway comes just days after Kidapawan staged an even larger celebration during its own Timpupo Festival, traditionally centered on the city’s agricultural harvest.
On August 18, approximately 50,000 people reportedly gathered for Kidapawan’s Fruit-Eat-All-You-Can event, according to an estimate by city police.
Visitors came not only from North Cotabato but also from neighboring areas including Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao del Sur.
Organizers served roughly 30 metric tons of locally produced tropical fruits during the event.
The spread included durian, marang, lanzones, rambutan, santol, bananas and dragon fruit, laid out along a stretch of road measuring roughly two kilometers.
According to city officials, the Kidapawan government spent around ₱3.5 million purchasing fruits from local growers, meaning the event served not only as a tourism attraction but also as a direct market for farmers.
More Than Just Free Food
Kidapawan’s repeated fruit giveaways are becoming a highly visible form of agricultural promotion.
By buying produce from local growers and placing it directly in front of thousands of visitors, the city is effectively turning festivals into a showcase for its fruit industry.
The strategy is particularly significant for Kidapawan and surrounding agricultural communities, where fruit farming remains an important source of livelihood.
Kalivungan also gives local governments across Cotabato an opportunity to promote their individual products through booths at the provincial capitol grounds.
The concept is not new. During previous Kalivungan celebrations, Kidapawan’s booth has competed alongside municipalities from around the province in exhibitions highlighting local products, agriculture and cooperative enterprises.
The festival has also gained visibility outside the province. Earlier in 2026, Cotabato’s Kalivungan Festival contingent placed second in the Free Interpretation Grand Ritual Showdown at Cebu’s Sinulog Festival and earned third-place finishes in street dancing and musicality.
For festivalgoers this week, however, the immediate attraction may be considerably simpler: show up at the Kidapawan booth at the right time, and there could be a plate full of Mindanao fruit — and perhaps several scoops of ice cream — waiting for free.
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