By Nanette Guadalquiver

MASSKARA DANCERS. A competing barangay during the 44th MassKara Festival Street Dance and Arena Competition in Bacolod City. This year, seven villages will vie for the street and arena dance title with a grand prize of PHP1 million on Oct.27, 2024. (File photo courtesy of Bacolod Yuhum Foundation)

BACOLOD CITY – The Bacolod Yuhum Foundation, organizer of the 45th MassKara Festival, will set up viewing parties in shopping malls for revelers to witness the much-awaited arena dance event on Sunday, the final day of the festival.

In its reminder issued on Friday, the organizer advised persons with disabilities, senior citizens, pregnant women, and those with children under 10 years old to avoid entering the Paglaum Sports Complex, the venue of the MassKara Arena Competition.

“(This is) for everyone’s safety and comfort,” the festival organizer said.

Instead, viewing parties will be organized in the city’s major shopping malls, including Robinsons Bacolod, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, SM City Bacolod, and GT 888 Mall Bacolod.

Seven villages will vie for this year’s street and arena dance title with a grand prize of PHP1 million.

The competing groups include the defending champion Barangay Granada, as well as Barangays Bata, 21, 35, 6, 12, and 18.

On Sunday, the street and arena dance competition performers will pass through the city’s major streets before the final performance at the Paglaum Sports Complex.

t will be preceded by the Electric Float Parade and Elektroika Diva on Saturday night, with 10 barangays joining the competition at the Bacolod City Government Center.

The contingents are from Barangays Pahanocoy, 19, 5, 17, 39, 29, 10, 8, 36, and 11. (PNA)