Coined by the late artist Ely Santiago (Oct. 17,1941- Feb. 20, 1993), MassKara – a combination of the word “mass” and the Spanish “kara,” meaning “face,” is a festival that started in 1980 in the midst of a sugar crisis & the sinking of MV Don Juan.
Amidst these tragic events, the city’s artists, local government and civic groups banded together to lift the people’s spirits and created a festival which gave emphasis on the people’s smiles due to the fact that Bacolod is named the City of Smiles. A fiesta, a party, however one calls it was seen as an opportunity to pull the residents out of the pervasive gloomy atmosphere. Thus was the birth of MassKara Festival.
Held in October closest to Bacolod City’s Charter Day – October 19, MassKara Festival dramatizes the steadfast character of the Negrenses and symbolizes what the people of the City of Smiles do best: putting on a happy face & positive energy when confronted with challenges. — Kasadya Bacolod Development Foundation, Inc.
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