THIS year’s MassKara Festival Street and Arena Dance champion will still receive a P1 million cash prize, an official of the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc., the overall organizer of the 2025 MassKara Festival, said on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
Festival director Rodney Ascalon said the festival’s most prestigious competition is the barangay category, which blends high-energy street performances with a choreographed arena showdown.
“The championship prize remains at P1 million, the largest prize in MassKara history,” Ascalon said.
The P1 million cash prize was first introduced during the term of former mayor and now Congressman Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, from 2022 to 2024.
Ascalon said they will limit the number of participating barangays and schools in this year’s edition of the street and arena dance competition.
For the barangay category, participation will be limited to 15 barangays, while the school category will be limited to seven elementary schools, marking the return of the category after a five-year hiatus, with the last held in 2019.
“MassKara 2025 is not just an event, it’s a stage for every barangay to shine. We want every community to feel ownership and pride in the festival,” he added.
Ascalon noted that this year, the showdown will start at the Paglaum Sports Complex, followed by a street dance toward the public plaza, where the winners will be announced.
Aside from the street and arena dance competition, this year’s festival in October will also feature an Electric MassKara Float Competition—a spectacular nighttime parade of illuminated floats that combine lights, music, and creative design to transform city streets into a glowing carnival—and a Giant Mask Competition, showcasing larger-than-life masks that pay tribute to Bacolod’s iconic festival symbol: bold, colorful, and perfect for massive street displays.
The City Government earlier announced that the 46th MassKara Festival will officially run from October 1 to 19, 2025.
The festival highlights are scheduled for October 17, 18, and 19.
Gasataya earlier said that MassKara was born from the creativity and resilience of Bacolodnons.
“It must remain a platform for our own people to showcase their artistry, culture, and spirit,” Gasataya said.
The mayor emphasized the importance of bringing the festivities back to the people, where they truly belong, by showcasing the talents of local artists and performers. (MAP)