BACOLOD City – The ceremonial opening of the MassKara Festival 2025 will be held simultaneously at two venues: the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) grounds and the Bacolod Public Plaza.
The dual staging comes in response to concerns from previous festivals, where highlights were mostly confined to BCGC and Lacson Street.
This year, the city government, in partnership with the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. (BGFI), aims to bring the celebration closer to more people.
Mayor Greg Gasataya explained the move, saying, “This shows that even from different places, we can unite and create a single event with the help of technology. The opening will be held simultaneously at both venues.”
He added that the message of the dual opening is unity: despite coming from different walks of life, Bacolodnons can come together for the city. The mayor will personally attend the opening rites at BCGC on October 1.
The festival will culminate on October 19 with the barangay category of the MassKara Arena and Streetdance Competition, one of the festival’s highlights. Other key events include the Electric MassKara and the school category Arena and Streetdance Competition on October 17 and 18, respectively.
Several well-known artists are expected to perform at both venues, providing entertainment for festival-goers throughout the festivities.
BGFI described the dual opening as a way to maximize participation and showcase the city’s public spaces.
“The BCGC remains the festival’s modern centerpiece, while the public plaza will shine with its classic charm, adding cultural depth to the festivities,” said Festival Director Rodney Mitz Ascalon of BGFI.
He added, “With this setup, we want to maximize the vibrancy of our public spaces. The plaza is not only a heritage landmark but also a stage where Bacolodnons and visitors alike can feel the pulse of MassKara.”
Ascalon emphasized that the simultaneous opening embodies this year’s festival theme, “One Smile, One City,” uniting Bacolod through both tradition and modernity./PN
