BACOLOD City’s world-renowned MassKara Festival will be staged this year after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the city’s top official announced.”This coming October, we will give you the best MassKara (Festival) ever,” Mayor Evelio Leonardia told participants of the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) support program launching at the Bacolod City Government Center over the weekend.The announcement of the festival’s revival was met with cheers from businesses, including those in the travel and tourism sector, who attended the launching of the program dubbed “Ipadayon ang Negosyo kag Trabaho.”Leonardia said that the month-long celebration, as in its past stagings, will serve as a vehicle for Bacolod City to reposition itself as a prime cultural destination and a major tourism event in this side of the Philippines.The festival traces its beginnings after the 1980 Don Juan tragedy and the collapse of the province’s sugar industry, giving Bacolodnons and Negrosanons alike a reason to smile amid the challenging times.Masked dancers garbed in colorful costumes executing mardi gras-inspired and Latin numbers, take centerstage during street and arena competitions and perform to Trini Lopez medley, sending local and foreign revelers to move with the upbeat music.Leonardia, who incidentally served as the event’s first executive director during the time of then mayor Jose Montalvo, said the City Government will get organized early.“We will strive to stage a seamless festival worth remembering, especially that MassKara paused for two years. It will be a MassKara to remember,” he added.Top city dance contingents had received invitations to perform on the streets of New York, some parts of the United States and other Asian countries.MassKara also became a reason for many Bacolodnons living abroad for a homecoming, bringing along with them their friends and families, the local government said.Bacolod’s sister cities also sent contingents to join the celebration with hotels running out of accommodation and airline companies adding flight schedules, it added.For Leonardia, “just like in past MassKaras, we will be ready for the influx of tourists. But we promise you, this year’s celebration will be bigger. It’s going to be another coming-out party for our beloved Bacolod.” (Erwin P. Nicavera with PR)