Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

The Taipei Masskara Festival will kick-off at plaza in front of the St. Christopher’s Church in Zhongshan District starting 3 PM on Sunday, September 20!
 
The event will feature a procession leaving from the plaza and traveling through the local community. Participants will traverse Qingguang Market to reach the goal at Qingguang Park.
 
Participants of the procession hail from a number of migrant worker groups, including the Overseas Foreign Worker Models and Talents in Taiwan (OFWMTT) made up of Filipino models, dancers, singers, and other talents; the Shiny New Immigrants comprising new immigrants and second generations of Filipino origins; the Mianli Cuican consisting of new migrants and overseas Chinese from Myanmar, and more!
 
Of course, the key feature of the parade is the smiling masks boasting a range of vibrant colors and flamboyant designs. In addition to actual masks from the carnival’s hometown of Bacolod, there will also be masks crafted by Filipino migrant artist Mark Lester Reyes.
 
Those interested in taking part in the Masskara parade can pick up masks at the plaza next to EEC GLOBAL TK on Zhongshan North Road Section 3 before meeting in front of St. Christopher’s Church at 3 PM for the procession.
 
The origins of the Masskara Festival can be traced back to the 1980s when the town of Bacolod in the Philippines experienced a series of unfortunate events such as the waning of the local sugar cane industry and the sinking of a vessel. The festival of smiling faces came about as the brainchild of the local government, seeking to lift up people’s spirit amidst the crisis.