Masskara Festival

CITY OF SMILES, BACOLOD

 WHEN?
The Festival is celebrated from October 1 – 20
every year. One of the highlights of the festival is
the 20-days festivities of drinking beer, eating
and dining, street dancing and merrymaking.
The festival culminates on October 20th when
the biggest party in Bacolod is held.
 THE BEGINNING
The Masskara Festival was originally envisioned
in 1980 to add color to the Bacolod City’s
celebration of the Charter Day anniversary
which is on October 19th. The Negrenses used a
smiling mask as the symbol of the festival, and to
symbolize the happy spirit of the Negrenses in
general despite frequent economic hurdles in
the sugar industry
 Masskara Festival is one of the Philippine festivals
that has also been on numerous exhibition
performances in the Visayas and Luzon. In 2005, the
Masskara dance was the most applauded
performance during the 23rd Asian Games held in
Bacolod City. Such performances have caused the
international guests and dignitaries to talk about the
festival earning a spot in international press.
 BEHIND THE MASSKARAS

Over the years, Masskara has undergone a lot

of changes since 1980 when it was made part of
the Charter Day celebrations. In essence, the
Masskara Festival has fittingly mirrored the
resilient spirits of the Bacoleños or the Negrenses
and symbolized survival when the sugar industry
– the city’s lifeline, plummeted down.
 By nature, Bacoleños are high-spirited, having that zest for
life. During the good times when the sugar industry was at its
peak, Bacoleños enjoyed life. When the crisis hit, they still put
on the smile despite the hardships experienced. No hardship or
crisis can ever get the Bacoleños down. They are a resilient lot
and they sort of hide it behind their happy front.
Decades after the downturn of the sugar industry, Bacolod
is still standing, no longer dependent on sugar cane – their cash
crop. Bacoleño still celebrates life along the mainstream of social
evolution, contemporary events, industry and technology.
 Bacolod is not Bacolod without the
Masskara Festival. It is part of who and
what they are, then and today. Masskara
will remain an important festival and
reminder for the Bacoleños to smile and
be gregarious and charming no matter
what.