The grand winner of the MassKara Nights of Mardi Gras will be known tonight when 20 finalists will sashay onstage and romp around the Bacolod public plaza to live drumbeats in fabulous fantasy and carnival costumes, matched with creative masks and face painting.

Another first in the list of official events of the MassKara Festival, the three-night Mardi Gras expands the festival to a larger creative dimension, special events chairman Rudy Reveche said.

The Nights of Mardi Gras started last year with the live performances of barangay-based musicians whose music were used in the streetdancing competitions, in partnership with ABS-CBN and MOR 101.5.

This year, the activity was redesigned to reflect the dynamism of the festival and to encourage participation of ordinary folks, Reveche said.

On the first night (Oct. 9), 44 participants wearing fantasy costumes and masks or face paint performed around the plaza. They were trimmed down to 30 qualifiers to perform on the second night (Oct. 10), and to 20 finalists for the third and final night (Oct. 11).

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who witnessed the first night of Mardi Gras, with Councilors Em Ang and Carl Lopez, and first lady Elsa Leonardia, said he was elated with the addition of this new activity to the MassKara.

The 44 participants on the first night received P500 each, while the next 30 qualifiers on the second night also received P500 each. The champion will receive P15,000 in cash; first runner-up - P10,000, second runner-up - P5,000, while the remaining Top 7 winners will receive P1,000 each.*

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