Bacolod’s Masskara Festival
One of the Best Festival of the Philippines is Bacolod’s Masskara Festival. Bacolod is popularly known for the city of Smiles and I never knew why till we attended the almost week long festival. We just learned it from our friends in Bacolod the story of the said city.
In 1980, an inter-island vessel Don Juan owned by the Negros Navigation Company collided with an oil tanker and sank on April 22, 1980. The tragedy claimed the lives of an estimated 400 passengers, most of whom were Negrenses, including several from prominent families in Bacolod.
Negros sugar industry was shaken by the much publicized crisis in the 1980s, 85% of Negros population fell below the poverty line. Since then, it was an uphill battle for the sugar stakeholders. Several sugar mills were eventually closed down.
The Masskara festival was first celebrated in 1980 to add color and gaiety to the Bcolod City’s celebration of its Charter Day anniversary, on 19 October. The symbol of the festival – a smiling mask – was adopted by the organizers to dramatize the Negrenses happy spirit, despite periodic economic downturns in the sugar industry and sea disaster.
Through the years, the MassKara Festival has evolved and gone beyond the street dance competition, music, food, colorful masks, costumes and parades. Every year, more activities are being held, attracting not only local tourists but foreign visitors as well.
And this year 2009 over all champion
Barangay Taculing
Bonggaba.com would like to thank the nice bongga people of Bacolod City especially Enrico Dee, Audrey Mecabalo and Fitz Villafuerte for making bonggaba.com’s trip in Bacolod City possible.
BONGGA!
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amf.. andun aq sa event eh..hehe..
miss u papa dax and dad fritz! ingatz..
ay unga! taga negros ka pala!
until next time
sa ati-atihan na naman. hay! hanap muna ng budget
pagkatapos ng Masskara at mag ligligan parul kahapon….
ati-atihan naman tayo!!!
Hi
when is the exact date of the masskara festival this year (2010) please email me details, like how many days will it run.
Thank you
sir randy, as of now wala pang official schedule po ang masskara festival for 2010. Masskara Festival is a week long festival that usually occurs on the second week of October, 3 days before the their Charter Day. October 19 is their Charter Day.
Hi Dax,
thank you for this info. atleast i can plan ahead. but if you have a definite date please do let me know.
thanks
ok no problem.
Do you have the exact dates of Maskara Festival for 2010 already? Thank you. Will it be on Oct 9-10 or 16-17? Appreciate if you can email me.
hi.. as of now po ba wala paring exact date ng festival?
as of now wala pa pero nag book na kami ng flight for bacolod ng safe days. we planned October 14 to 18. mahirap na mag book ng closer to the said dates eh its either maubusan ka o mapamahal.