MassKara Festival 2023 promises to open with a bang as Bacolod City, led by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and city officials, usher in the annual festivity with lots of entertainment, capped with fireworks, during the MassKara Grand Countdown Salubong at the Bacolod City Government Center grounds on October 6.
Festival Chairperson Jojie Dingcong said “It’s all systems go with all preparations in place to make this year’s festival even more exciting, bigger, bolder and brighter.”
Expected to attend the event are Bacolod City Rep. Greg Gasataya and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, along with other officials and guests from all over the province.
“We are bringing in the popular pop-rock band, The Juans, as our main attraction for the opening salvo. There will also be other performances by local bands, as well as three of the top winners in last year’s Arena Dance Competition,” Dingcong said.
Rodney Ascalon, director of the Salubong event said the stage will be ready to showcase performances by 5:00 PM for the pre-show entertainment, as well as games from platinum sponsors that promises big prizes for those who joining the countdown.
All 15 candidates vying for Miss Bacolod MassKara will also be performing, along with some contestants for this year’s search for Electric Diva as part of the main show that will display snippets of what the people should expect in this year’s MassKara Festival, Ascalon added.
Meanwhile, Bacolod Yuhum Foundation President, Katherine Matiling said that they had a final interagency meeting recently to ensure that all preparations, particularly for security, are in place as the festival kicks-off.
At midnight, a fireworks display will cap the Salubong followed by DJ Bien for the after-party celebration, a press statement from the MassKara Festival organizer said.
The Bacolod City Public Plaza will be festooned with festival lights as sectoral groups march with torches and trikes adorned with lights on the opening night of the “MassKarapatdapat sa Plaza” on Oct. 7, 6 p.m.
Mayor Benitez and wife Nikki, with members of the City Council, will be present at the opening of one of the seven major festival sites for this year’s festival.
Festival site coordinator Christopher Mallo said they have lined-up several nightly activities that will entertain visitors for 16 days starting off with the “Bida ng Bacolod,” a talent competition to search for the best performer or performers in the City of Smiles on October 8.
Contestants will perform either in solo acts or in groups with a maximum of five members, showcasing skills in singing, dancing, impersonation, juggling, lip-synching, stand-up comics and magic tricks with the Grand Finals slated on October 15.
On the same day, a Zumba dance fest entitled RetroDance MassKara will also be held from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM with enthusiasts expected to come in groups, donning on their best retro-inspired costumes.
Other highlighted activities in the Public Plaza are the MassKara Dog Fashion Show on October 14, at 4:00 PM and the MassKahariang Sektor, an advocacy-based pageantry in search of the king and queen among sectoral groups.
A Medical Mission for Senior Citizens, spearheaded by Dr. Louie Jimenea will take place on October 17 at 4:00 PM and will be followed by the Drags and Divas, an LGBTQ event showcasing their talents in drag impersonation.
Bringing back the famous Mardi Gras Samba Dance Competition will be the highlight on October 18 where groups of four or five performers will compete against each other and where individuals dressed in colorful festival attires will go around the plaza dancing to samba.
On October 20, another dance showdown sponsored by Bombo Radyo will take place while October 22 will end with a big bang with Kapuso stars Pokwang, Kuya Kim and Jayson Gaiza gracing the Closing Night. (News & photo courtesy of Bacolod City Public Information Office)