EYE OPENER
Masskara Festival, the Negrense way
This year's Masskara Festival in Bacolod City, Oct. 1-19, will feature six-NEW frameworks: new Patik, the Masskara beat contest, competition of mobile homegrown bands using homemade instruments from junk materials and performing to a distant beat and marching ala drumline. The New Electric Masskara street dancing with 10 groups of at least 20 lighted dancers. The New Electric Masskara Float Parade; 10 lighted float with lighted dancers atop. The New Masskara Queen festival costume competition will be held during the streetdancing competition, with candidates coming in floats to the plaza. The New Search for Masskara Queen will be deconstructed into four major segments to be held on different dates and different venues. The coronation night will be held at the open air venue at the Electric Masskara along Lacson St. and the new queen and her court in their festival costumes will officially join the countdown to charter Day party at City Mall. The food and beer kiosks around the plaza will be reengineered to make them family-friendly. New structures, new rules, no more videokes, use of disposable citizen of the world.
According to its organizers, the festival will also highlight the city's efforts at helping promote environment-friendly practices, as a responsible citizen of the world. "Bacolod, City of the World" its diamond year festival will highlight its membership in the global community of cities. It will celebrate in its world-famous Masskara festival the things that make it unique and therefore attractive to the people around the world; its food, its art and culture; its environment, the world-class manpower, its indomitable spirit and inimitable energy.
What is unique about the Bacolod Masskara Festival is its people and world-oriented syndrome sans religious festivity that all faiths of the world can participate and enjoy to their heart's desire. Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and other religious people can join and view the world-fame Masskara celebration activities. Kudos to the Bacolodnons and Negrenses for the world-class festivity. May your tribe increase and prosper!