MAKATI CITY — Vinyl collectors, music enthusiasts, and crate diggers have another date to mark on their calendars as KAGATAN 49!, the 49th installment of Manila’s longest-running quarterly record fair, heads to Makati Central Square (MCS) on June 13 to 14, 2026. Running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both days, the event will once again transform the second floor of the iconic building at the corner of Chino Roces and Arnaiz Avenue into a vibrant hub for analog music culture.
What started as a modest gathering among friends at Cubao Expo has steadily grown into one of the country’s most beloved music community events. Today, KAGATAN is widely recognized as Manila’s premier crate-digging destination, bringing together collectors and enthusiasts who buy, sell, and trade vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, and various music memorabilia. Organizers continue to promise “only the good stuff”, from rare LPs and elusive EPs to highly sought-after collectible records that dedicated diggers rarely pass up.
A Community Built Around Music
For longtime attendees, KAGATAN has always represented more than just a marketplace. Its reputation has extended far beyond local borders. Recent editions have attracted well-known Japanese collectors and DJs who traveled to Manila specifically to experience KAGATAN firsthand. Among them was internationally respected hip-hop vinyl DJ Koco, known for his mastery of 45s, who joined fellow diggers in searching for rare finds. During one visit, the group successfully acquired a hard-to-find 1970s Filipino funk record by The Howlers, a release that has not been reissued for decades.
The Endless Search for Hidden Gems
The excitement of discovery remains the fair’s biggest draw. Beyond records, KAGATAN has also featured band shirts, tote bags, vintage merchandise, and all vinyl DJ sets that keep the atmosphere lively throughout the day. Its home inside Makati Central Square contributes greatly to its charm. Nestled among shops and escalators, the venue offers an intimate yet energetic setting where music becomes both a social and tactile experience.
A Unique Cultural Experience in Makati
For visitors hoping to discover a different side of Makati, KAGATAN offers a window into Manila’s thriving analog music scene. Hidden inside a bustling commercial center, the fair provides an authentic cultural experience where the city’s creative energy is expressed through grooves, crackles, and the unmistakable warmth of vinyl records. For Manila’s community of crate diggers, that sentiment perfectly captures the passion that keeps them searching. And at KAGATAN 49!, that passion will once again be fueled, one record at a time.
