The MassKara Festival is one of the many things that define Bacolod City’s rich heritage and culture and where the city gets its moniker, “The City of Smiles.”
It’s a portmanteau from the Spanish word cara, meaning face, and the English word mass, which means a large group of people. Online sources claim the late Ely Santiago, an artist who honed his craft through diligent experimentation and mastery of different media and materials, coined the term.
Historical accounts claim that the festival began in 1980, when the sugarcane industry was struggling, and one incident made it more challenging for those who rely on the resource for their livelihood. Back then, the price of sugarcane was at an all-time low. Then, the tragedy of the inter-island vessel MV Don Juan collided with a tanker and sank in Tablas Strait off Mindoro, leaving locals distraught.
In hopes of uplifting public morale, the late Mayor Jose Montalvo united the public with a “festival of smiles.” It symbolized how they masked their grief during tragic times, which is why the Negrenses donned masks with permanent smiles painted on them.
The initial festival occurred during the city’s Charter Day celebration on October 19, 1980. It was a success as the municipality found its avenue to survive the challenges and comfort the grief-stricken.
Eventually, the festival became one of the Philippines’ most significant annual tourist attractions, emphasizing Bacolod City’s tourism, hospitality, culinary, crafts, and services sectors, among other industries.
The 2023 MassKara Festival officially opened early this October and will culminate today, October 22, as it stays true to its fiesta-like celebration.