Beyond the colorful masks, performances and entertainment, MassKara Festival 2026 is positioning the celebration as a major economic platform for local entrepreneurs, food concessionaires, ambulant vendors, businesses and corporate partners.
With designated food parks at the Plaza and Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), a 2.3-kilometer Lacson Tourism Strip, and dedicated lanes for ambulant vendors, this year’s festival is opening hundreds of opportunities for businesses of different sizes to participate in and benefit from the city’s biggest celebration, a press release from the organizers said Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Festival Director Rodney Mitz Ascalon said MassKara should create an experience that extends beyond entertainment and generates meaningful opportunities for the people and businesses that make up the city.
Aicah Saavedra – Ambulant Vendor Coordinator, Christopher Mallo – Food Park Manager Kiosk Management and Pancho Panoncillo – Site Head, Lacson Management (l-r)*Andrew Altarejos photo
“MassKara is not only about how many events we can put together. Our aspiration is to make it matter. And it matters when the celebration creates opportunities for our local entrepreneurs, vendors, businesses and communities to participate and benefit from the festival,” Ascalon said.
The approach is also aligned with the GUGMA Agenda of Mayor Greg Gasataya, particularly its thrust of making the city’s major programs more inclusive and accessible to ordinary Bacolodnons, the press release said.
PLAZA AND BCGC FOOD PARKS
The Plaza and BCGC food parks will serve as dedicated areas for food concessionaires, with 17 concession owners at the Plaza and seven at the BCGC.
Each kiosk will occupy a 10-foot by 10-foot space.
As of Tuesday, the BCGC has 15 available vendor slots, while the Plaza has 12 available slots.
All participating concessionaires are required to secure fully paid kiosks and comply with the necessary operational requirements, including LGU Special Permits, CHO certificates and yellow cards, as well as a Bacolod Gugma-issued identification card, the press release said.
Ingress for the food parks will run from September 28 to 30, while egress will begin at 3 a.m. on October 19 until 12 noon.
Inter-agency teams will also be assigned to the Plaza and BCGC to help ensure smooth, orderly and peaceful operations throughout the festival.
LACSON TOURISM STRIP
The approximately 2.3-kilometer Lacson Tourism Strip will bring together food and beverage establishments, local businesses, entertainment, corporate activations, kiosks and festival attractions.
Around 250 food and corporate kiosks are expected along the full stretch, creating additional spaces for entrepreneurs, commercial establishments and corporate partners to participate in the festival.
The strip will feature six major stages, with activations associated with Mt. Dew, TikTok, Chesterfield, San Miguel Beer, Bredco and Erceflora.
There will also be 11 sponsor activations, including Globe, Smart, Casino Plus, Merzci, Chesterfield, Camel, Mighty, Chillax, PAGCOR, Roy’s Hotel and Erceflora.
Five sponsor villages will likewise be featured, led by Mt. Dew, Coca-Cola, San Miguel Beer, Bredco/Acacia and Ginebra San Miguel.
Each kiosk will consist of a 10-by-10-foot tent equipped with a 40-ampere electricity supply, one light bulb and one outlet.
Registration is open until September 30, 2026, while the payment deadline is October 2, 2026.
SMALL AND MICRO ENTREPRENEURS
MassKara 2026 is also making space for ambulant vendors through designated vending lanes across key areas of the city.
The Araneta Ambulant Lane has 41 dry-goods and 41 food concessionaires and is already fully booked.
The Gatuslao Ambulant Lane, with 30 mixed-use ambulant vendors offering Muslim products, fruits and food, is fully booked.
The Panasiatic Ambulant Lane has 30 vendors selling anik-anik items and food and is also fully booked.
At the BCGC Annex Ambulant Lane, 23 food concessionaires have filled the available slots.
Still accepting vendors is the Rizal Ambulant Lane, with 20 spaces on the right side for MassKara souvenir sellers and another 20 spaces on the left side for anik-anik products.
The BCGC Front Area or Fountain Area also has 24 kiosk spaces available for food concessionaires.
Selected peddlers selling items such as balloons and other small products will likewise be accommodated.
The program is intended to reach small and micro local vendors, giving them an opportunity to showcase locally made products, crafts, handmade items and other merchandise to the thousands of visitors expected during the festival, the press release said.
With food parks, kiosks, corporate activations, sponsor villages, entertainment stages and ambulant vending areas spread across major festival destinations, MassKara 2026 is shaping the celebration into a broader ecosystem of participation.
The Lacson Tourism Strip will serve as a major gathering and leisure destination, combining tourism, food, entertainment and business participation, while the Plaza and BCGC food parks will provide dedicated spaces for concessionaires.
At the same time, the ambulant lanes open the festival to smaller entrepreneurs who depend on seasonal opportunities to reach customers.
For Ascalon, the measure of MassKara’s success goes beyond attendance figures.
“We want people to remember MassKara not only because of the spectacle, but because they felt that they had a place in it. Whether you are a visitor, a local business owner, a vendor, a performer or a community member, there should be a space for you in MassKara,” Ascalon said.*
[sibwp_form id=1]