The second month of 2023 is almost here which means the future distant echo of people exclaiming "Viva Carnival!" on the streets of Panjim will get louder by the day. The vibrant floats, a bubbly King Momo, and confetti in the air - What a time to be in Goa!
In true Goan fashion, the State is gearing up to celebrate the merry-making festival of Carnival in style and, yet again, make Goa the perfect place to be in February.
The Department of Tourism on Monday had a meeting in the first half of the day to disucss the upcoming festivities of Carnival and Shigmotsav in Goa. The panel at the meet inlcuded officials from diffrent spheres of the government.
This year, the festival of Carnival will be organised at four places, namely Panjim, Margao, Vasco and Mapusa, starting February 18, 2023. In addition to this, Porvorim and Morjim will also witness the celebrations.
Addressing a press conference, Nikhil Desai, Managing Director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), said, “We are planning to give these traditional festivals of Goa wide publicity through press conferences in other metros."
"The department also insists that emphasis has to be laid on showcasing good quality traditional floats", he stated.
Desai said most of the committees involved in the celebrations have decided to stick to traditional routes for the floats parade. They have been asked to coordinate with the collector's office and the Goa police to obtain all the permissions required, he mentioned.
The first parade of the Goa Carnival 2023 will be held on February 18 in Panjim. This will be followed by Margao on February 19, Vasco on February 20 and last in Mapusa on February 21, as is the tradition every year.