The smiling masks used in the festival were a

declaration of Bacolod locals’ resilience in the face of

challenges and tragedy, prompting the city to become
known as the “City of Smiles.”

CITY OF SMILES

The festival name is a portmanteau of the words ‘mass’ CELEBRATION. The masskara festival is
(many) and ‘kara’ (faces), thus forming ‘MassKara,’ or the
celebrated every 4th Sunday of October.
Festival of Many Faces.