This year Bacolod City is on its 31st year... the 19-day festival promises to be even more vibrant, colorful and fun-filled.
This city is known for its great food, warm smiles, and happy people. Bacolod City is the capital of Negros Occidental, which is the sugar capital of the Philippines. Bacolod is the biggest and highly urbanized city in the island of Negros, the fourth biggest island in the Philippine archipelago.
Bacolod is the entry point to other sugar-rich cities and towns in the province. (Negros Occidental has 13 cities and 19 municipalities.)
Come to Bacolod where great cuisine is a tradition, as great food comes mostly from family heirloom recipes. Taste the famous chicken inasal (chicken marinated in native spices and herbs and then grilled to perfection), that gave birth to another festival (Manokan Country Inasal Festival launched in May 2009).
Come to Bacolod where her people speak in mellifluous lilting Hiligaynon accent, coupled with captivating sweet smiles breathed from their long-term romance with the sugar industry which, for centuries, have been the lifeblood of her economy.
Bacolod’s charm as a destination is in her half-a-million people exuding legendary hospitality and a trademark smile—from the porters you meet at the airport and seaport terminals, taxi drives, bellboys, receptionists and almost everyone in the streets.
It helps, too, that almost everyone understands and speaks English, often spiced up with a smile by those deficient in the language. This smiling nature of her people has earned for Bacolod the moniker, City of Smiles.
The Bacolenos’ propensity to smile stems from a happy disposition towards life, which gave birth to the 31-year old MassKara Festival.
Bacolod is also known as a city of contrast. Her rural ambiguity lends a certain mystique to her stylish modern urbanity. The Bacoleno is uptrend in his ways, as Bacolod has almost all the conveniences one can look for in a growing metropolis. Visitors can have a choice of modern first-class hotels or other accommodation establishments. Uppity restaurants, coffee shops, and fast-food joints dot the city’s thoroughfares. Malls and big department stores, boutique and souvenir or handicraft shops offer limitless shopping while the market stalls offer amazing bargains.
Aside from being hailed as a “Billionaire City,” Bacolod today can truly bask in the many national awards she got for excellent government practices, which now makes her a favorite of many local government units around the country as a destination for learning experiences or “benchmarking.”
But with all the new urbanization developments, the rustic ambiance is still felt all over. The Bacoleno way is familial, almost laid back even, as everybody seems to know everyone—who is either a relative, a friend, or a nodding acquaintance. Despite the modern way of living, traffic is still manageable. The lush greenery in many parts of the city, and in the public plaza, known to be the shadiest and most pro-active plaza in the country, gives her the rural touch and the award as the Cleanest and Greenest Highly Urbanized City in the Philippines.
This year’s theme, “Kari sa Bacolod” will once again pitch Bacolod’s invitation to the world to come to the City of Smiles and celebrate the goodness of life, through food, music, sights and pageantry.
The festive mood in the City of Smiles becomes contagious as masked dancers line the streets during the three-day street-dancing competition, dancing along with the music from the major streets all the way to the Bacolod public plaza.
Another highlight is the Electric MassKara at the Tourism Strip in Lacson Street where dancers, whose bodies are colorfully lighted, gyrate to the infectious rhythm of festival music.
Started in 2004, the Countdown is a giant street party with live bands as the city keeps vigil for its 72nd year celebration.
72 seconds to midnight of October 18, 2010 or the eve of October 19, 2010 the party counts down and at 12 midnight, city officials lead by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, and the people partying at the New Government Center, sing “Happy Birthday, Bacolod!”
It’s 72 seconds because Bacolod ushers into its 72nd year as a chartered city.
The party at the NGC will be beamed through giant screens at the old City Hall, where there will also be a simultaneous partying. It can be said that the traditional Countdown to Charter Day has brought street parties to Bacolod.
See you guys in Bacolod City, Philippines every October!!!
Thank you Jomi Garrucho for the wonderful photos!!! :)
Info source: themasskarafestival.com