MASSKARA FESTIVAL 🇸🇽
It is quite ironic that the Philippines’ happiest festival originated from a period of gloom and tragedy, but perhaps this is the very reason why the Masskara Festival, held every third weekend of October in Bacolod City, has become one of the archipelago’s most popular and important celebrations. With round-the-clock feasts, colorful and beautifully choreographed street dancing parades, and lots of beer, this festival of “many smiling faces” has come to symbolize not only the people of Bacolod City’s fun-loving and resilient spirit, but also that of every Filipino who offer it’s visitors more than the usual smiles.
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itinerary
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Day 1 Itinerary
Places visited: Lacson Street
Lacson Street
I don’t really have any decent photo of the electric masskaras because I was busy drinking.
Day 2 Itinerary
Places visited: Araneta Avenue
Araneta Avenue
Characterized by participants wearing colorful masks, MassKara is coined from the words Mass for "multitude" and Kara, the Spanish term for "face," hence MassKara means "a multiple of smiling faces". The three-week festival culminates on the third week of October which sees a highlight of activities such as the MassKara Queen beauty pageant, Electric MassKara parade, the street-dancing competition that snakes throughout the city all the way to the public plaza, and a weekend of late night partying along Lacson Street, the city’s main thoroughfare.
Book. Accommodations get fully booked months leading to the festival, so it’s best to plan ahead.
Day 3 Itinerary
Places visited: Araneta Avenue
Araneta Avenue
Over the years, the motif of the festival has changed from masks influenced by native Filipinos to those influenced by the Carnival of Venice and the Rio Carnival.
The street dancing competition is divided into the School Division (held on a saturday) and Barangay Division (on a sunday), the latter being the highlight of the festival.
Watch. To watch the Street Dancing Competition, come atleast an hour (2 PM) before the parade starts to secure a spot along Araneta-Libertad Streets.