Read Mode

The Calabar Festival



Known as the "Africa's Biggest Street Party", the Calabar Carnival is held annually in Cross River State, Nigeria. Founded by the then governor, Mr. Donald Duke, the carnival is held annually every December to mark Christmas. As the organizer of the festival, his vision was to make Cross-River a tourism and hospitality hub across Nigeria and Africa. It is the largest carnival in Nigeria and one of the most followed in the world because the festival's quality has grown over the years. It was under the leadership of Benedict Ayade that the event was reduced from being a month-long event to being a two-week event. As Governor Ayade stated during his speech at the 2017 carnival, the carnival will serve as a platform for Africa to be showcased as one of the richest continents in the world, and one of the most blessed places in the world, thanks to its festivities. This is a land where young people should be proud to live.

Carnivals have always been colourful and entertaining as they feature competitions and cash prizes. A city located in the south-southern part of Nigeria, Calabar is also known as Canann City. The city of Calabar is actually the capital of the state of Cross River. As well as the Calabar and Great Kwa Rivers, Cross River Creek flows through the city of Calabar as well.

Every year, the tourism and cultural committee drafts the carnival's programme, introducing new initiatives based on diverse topics. Seagull, Passion 4, Masta Blasta, Bayside and Freedom competed in a football tournament organized by the Carnival Committee for the Carnival Cup 2009, which was held in December 2009. A Seagull is a red band known for its stylish and coordinated style, a Passion 4 is a green band that is known for its success. Masta Blasta is orange and the largest band, Bayside is blue, and Freedom is yellow. These bands are distinguished by their colours. Aside from music performances by local and international artists, the festival also features the annual Calabar Carnival, a boat regatta, fashion shows (introduced in 2016), beauty pageants (Miss Africa introduced in 2016), Christmas Villages, traditional dances, and the Ekpe Festival. In addition to essay writing competitions, secondary school and tertiary students participate in this carnival.

Youths in the State are encouraged to participate in these competitions in order to promote reading culture and carnival culture.

The Calabar festival promotes the culture of the people by ensuring every facet is displayed during the festival. Villagers and indigent people can also benefit from the festival as it is an opportunity to market their products to tourists.

https://www.cometonigeria.com/attractions/calabar/calabar-carnival/


Edit
Discussion
History