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| Mascara |
The first time I went to Bacolod was January 2010 for a just day. My dad brought me there; we just met some relatives and we ate at Chicken Inasal. That day-tour triggered my craving to return to Bacolod.
I immediately grabbed the opportunity to fly to Bacolod this year! I came back to relive the experience that makes me smile during my first time in Bacolod. Masskara Festival is a great time to add more smiles to my Bacolod experience.
There are different entry points going to Bacolod City. The nearest airport, the New Bacolod-Silay Airport, which is approximately 15kms from the Bacolod City offers flights from Manila, Cebu and Davao. You can also fly to Iloilo International Airport, mark your way to the Port of Iloilo and ride a ferry or a fast craft going to Bacolod.
A little bit of information
MassKara was a portmanteau of the words "mass" which means many and "kara" means face. At the same time, the word resembles the Filipino word "mascara" means a mask. Masskara Festivals are held annually on the nearest weekend after October 19 which is considered as Bacolod's Charter Day.
Highlights of the Masskara Festival
Masskara Festival is a Mardi-Gras-like festival of smiles.
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| MassKara Street Dancing Participants |
Some streets in Bacolod were closed for the annual street dancing competition. It highlighted the participants from schools and barangays in their colorful masks, rhythmic dances and costumes.
This year they also had giant puppet parades where your favorite fictional characters parade in large vibrant colors.
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| Look! It's SpongeBob! |
And, Electric Masskara was the annual mask parade in colorful lights which were, usually, held on the last night of the festivities.
During the Festivals
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| Dance with them! |
The whole stretch of Lacson St. were not accessible by public vehicles at night. There were live bands, parties and several food stalls installed along the road. Bacolod's famous Chicken Inasal were all over the place.
One of the food trips that is a must whenever in Bacolod are the home grown cakes offered by Calea (which can also be found in Lacson St.) They offer wide varieties of luscious cakes that you can indulge with. Better try their cheesecakes first!
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| Calea Cakes |
Street parties are massive during MassKara Festivals. Spectrum's MassKara Invasion in Cafe Bobs Open Grounds was here to celebrate during the festival. Another party scene which was highlighted, was the Masskara Love Dance in Central District Football Field, which they danced to the beat and raved from 12noon 'til sunrise.
Colorful smiles. Bacolod people have a lot of reasons to smile. As a tourist, even without a mask there are many reasons to smile. This is a must see festival in the Philippines.e. This is a must see festival in the Philippines.
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