MassKara Festival: Bacolod partied behind its smiling masks
The 47th MassKara Festival lit up Bacolod, in the Philippines, from October 1 to 18, 2026. The closing and awards ceremony takes place on Sunday, October 25, at The Upper East.
A smile in answer to crisis
The MassKara Festival was born in 1980, a dark year for Bacolod: a crisis in the sugar industry the city depended on, and the sinking of the ferry Don Juan in April. The city's answer: a festival of smiling masks, to lift spirits. Forty-six years on, Bacolod is the 'City of Smiles' and its festival one of the most famous in the Philippines.
Three weeks of street dancing
The 2026 edition, organised by the Bacolod Gugma Foundation and the City under the theme 'Share the Smile. Celebrate Gugma', peaked on Sunday, October 18 with the barangay street-dance competitions — Barangay Taculing was crowned champion. The official Page announces the follow-up on Sunday, October 25 at Megaworld The Upper East: the closing and awards ceremony, presented as the return of the champions.
Practical information
MassKara Festival — 47th edition · October 1-18, 2026, closing on October 25 · Bacolod City, Negros Occidental (Philippines) · 2027 edition to be announced
Official Page: facebook.com/MassKaraFestival2026 · City of Bacolod: bacolodcity.gov.ph
— Moïse 1er, the Festival Explorer