About MassKara Festival
The MassKara Festival is the joyful signature celebration of Bacolod City in the Philippines, famous for the brightly coloured, beaming masks that give it its name — a play on "mass" (crowd) and the Spanish "cara" (face), the "mass of faces". It was born in 1980, during a year shadowed by a collapse in the sugar industry that underpins the local economy and a tragic ferry disaster, when the city chose to respond to hardship with smiles, earning Bacolod its nickname, the "City of Smiles".
At the heart of the festival is the street and arena dance competition, in which contingents in smiling masks and glittering, feathered costumes perform high-energy routines to Latin and electronic rhythms. By night the Electric MassKara lights the masks and floats with LEDs, turning the city into a glowing carnival. Food fairs, beauty pageants, concerts and the famous masks on sale everywhere round out weeks of festivities across October.
The mask-and-dance climax falls on the third Sunday of October, near Bacolod's October 19 charter day, so the date shifts each year while the season stays fixed — and the counter above always points to the next celebration. Whether you are heading to the City of Smiles or following from afar, add MassKara to your own countdown page and count down to the festival of smiles.
Upcoming dates
| 2026 | Sunday, October 18, 2026next |
| 2027 | Sunday, October 17, 2027 |
| 2028 | Sunday, October 15, 2028 |
| 2029 | Sunday, October 21, 2029 |
| 2030 | Sunday, October 20, 2030 |
FAQ
When is MassKara Festival?
The MassKara street and arena dance climaxes on the third Sunday of October in Bacolod City, near the city's October 19 charter day. The countdown above shows the time until the next one.
Why is MassKara celebrated?
It began in 1980 as a defiant celebration of resilience during economic hardship and tragedy, choosing smiles over sorrow and giving Bacolod its name, the "City of Smiles".
How is MassKara celebrated?
With street and arena dance competitions by masked, costumed contingents, the night-time Electric MassKara light show, food fairs, pageants and concerts across October.
What does MassKara mean?
It blends "mass" (a crowd of people) and the Spanish "cara" (face) — a "mass of faces", reflected in the festival's signature smiling masks.