This highly-urbanized city’s public plaza will once again become the center of the world-renowned MassKara Festival on Oct. 1 to 19.

Previously, the arena dance competition follows the street dance along the major thoroughfares on the final day of the festival.

Festival director Rodney Mitz Ascalon said this year, the sequence of the performance will instead start with the arena showdown at Paglaum Sports Complex.

“What’s new for this year is, we will flip it. The showdown will begin at Paglaum. After that, for the street dance, the performers will make their way to the plaza, where all the barangays will have a grand performance. We will announce the winners there,” Ascalon said in a press briefing with Mayor Greg Gasataya at Bacolod City Government Center on Monday.

Ascalon said the new format is designed to create a more immersive experience for both the performers and the spectators and to draw more foot traffic to the plaza, boosting support for vendors and entrepreneurs operating in the area.

Other confirmed festival sites are Bacolod City Government Center grounds and Lacson Street, the latter only during the highlights on Oct. 17 to 19.

Ascalon, also the president of festival organizer Bacolod Gugma Foundation, said they will limit the number of barangay contingents to 15 while seven districts will compete in the elementary schools category.

Meanwhile, Gasataya said the Bacolod Gugma Foundation has “vowed to honor the roots of the MassKara Festival while opening new doors for artistic collaboration and community pride.”

“We will have a three-day highlight and we came up with something new. This time, we need to thank the people of Bacolod who participated without the pressure of the celebration. I suggested to them, if we can have an after-party on the 26th,” he added.

Gasataya said the Bacolod Gugma Foundation assured the city government full transparency and accountability, promotion of local talent, global positioning, inclusive collaboration and long-term growth of the festival. (PNA)