BUTUAN CITY — The DTI Caraga Regional Office parking lot along J.C. Aquino Avenue has been transformed into a lively evening marketplace as the AGBAY Alumni Selling Fair runs until October 23, 2026. Open daily from 5:00 PM to 12:00 midnight, the fair gathers alumni sellers offering good food, sweet treats, and creative finds, giving shoppers a late-night destination and young entrepreneurs a direct line to customers.
What to Expect at the Fair
Visitors can expect a rotating lineup of food and beverage stalls serving familiar snacks and new discoveries, alongside vendors selling handmade crafts, fashion items, and other creative finds. The sellers are alumni of DTI Caraga's youth entrepreneurship programs, which means the products on display come from businesses that have undergone training in planning, pricing, and branding. The atmosphere is casual and convivial, with the parking lot converted into a market where shoppers can browse, sample, and chat with the people behind the products. Prices are kept competitive to make the trip worthwhile.
More Than a Market
The fair serves a dual purpose. For the public, it is a convenient evening stop for food and gifts. For the sellers, it is a practical testing ground where business plans meet real customers, real prices, and real feedback. Vendors learn which products move fastest, which packaging draws attention, and which price points hold, market intelligence that is difficult to simulate in a classroom. The word "agbay" in the local language describes placing a supportive arm over someone's shoulder to guide them, and the fair embodies that idea: mentorship in action, where the training is tested against the realities of commerce.
Why It Matters for Butuan's Local Economy
Fairs like AGBAY matter because they keep value within the local economy. The vendors are local, the ingredients and materials are locally sourced, and the earnings stay with the entrepreneurs and their households. For young business owners in Butuan, the fair offers something that startup capital alone cannot provide: visibility. Every customer who stops at a stall becomes part of a young enterprise's story, and every repeat visit reinforces the habit of supporting local.
The fair is open to the public daily until October 23, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 12:00 midnight at the DTI Caraga Regional Office parking lot on J.C. Aquino Avenue, Butuan City. Shoppers are encouraged to come early, bring friends, and discover what this year's alumni sellers have to offer
