Mark Your Calendars: MassKara Festival in Bacolod City Will Officially Commence this October 2022

The much-awaited return of the world-famous MassKara Festival in Bacolod will finally commence this October 1 to October 23 after two years of not celebrating the iconic festival due to the effects of the pandemic.

The main festival sites of the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City will be located at Lacson Street, Bacolod Public Plaza, and the Bacolod City Government Center. Extension sites of the festival shall be held at the Baywalk Reclamation Area, Megaworld Upper East, and at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan.

This year’s director of the MassKara Festival, Pinky Mirano-Ocampo, expressed that the festivities will be ‘spectacular, supercharged, and highly energetic’, with the theme Balik Yuhum (Bringing Back the Smile).

The theme is also inspired by what Bacolod City is known for—the City of Smiles.

The 2022 three-week celebration of the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City shall be divided into three parts, allowing visitors and festival goers to choose whichever event they want to attend.

The MassKara Festival in Bacolod City is divided into these three main events: the MassKara Sports Olympics shall be featured on the first week of the Bacolod MassKara Festival, October 1 to 8, and the MassKara Trade Fair on the second week from October 10 to 16, and the MassKara Cultural Activities on the third week until October 23, which include the main highlights of the festival such as the Electric MassKara Float Parade and street and arena dance competition.

Months before the festival starts, the provincial government of Negros Occidental also joins Bacolod City in the preparation and celebration of the Bacolod MassKara Festival. The Panaad Park and Stadium will open the booths of its 31 local government units to serve as venues for an expo that will be part of the attractions of the Bacolod MassKara Festival celebration.

Bacolod City’s 30 barangays and villages shall also be part of the highly-anticipated MassKara Festival street dance and electric float performance competitions. Organizers of these contests have released the list of 16 villages that will officially participate in the arena dance competition and 14 barangays that will join the Electric MassKara Float Showcase.

Other events included in the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City are the MassKara Queen beauty pageant, drag festival, Mr. Bacolod bodybuilding and fitness competition, a hip-hop dance challenge, BMX-riding contest, DJ battle, auto convention and chess, and sports competitions such as volleyball and football tournaments.

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo ‘Albee’ Benitez says that he expects an estimated 200,000 tourists to participate in this Bacolod festival.

Mayor Benitez has also requested Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II to fast-track the preparations of the Panaad Park and Stadium as it will be part of the celebration sites of the MassKara Festival. Diaz also said that he had already discussed matters with the Bacolod City Mayor, the tourism officers of Negros Occidental, and representatives of the Association of Negros Producers and started to plan out the programs that the city government and provincial government could collaborate and join forces with.

Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel ‘Javi’ Benitez and the Negros Association of Chief Executives led by the Victorias City Mayor have also expressed their participation in joining the events of the MassKara Festival. Tourism officers look forward to the festival being an avenue to promote their respective tourist destinations.

A milestone is set for this year’s MassKara Festival in Bacolod City as the festivities return and reflect its iconic essence of celebrating people’s determination and positive outlook in facing struggles and conquering hardships in life.

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more exciting events and travel destinations in Bacolod and Negros!