Goa has been celebrating traditional festivals like Carnival and Shigmo for centuries. This year the carnival was held from the 6th till the 9th of February, while Shigmo took place between 24th March and the 7th of April. The celebrations for these festivals are celebrated all over Goa.
Over the last few years new festivals have been organised in the Goan capital, Panjim, which have been gaining vast popularity. Some of these events are planned to coincide with other major festival dates, to take advantage of the footfall of tourists, while some are creating a niche for themselves.
Panjim recently hosted quite a number of innovative annual events. ItsGoa presents to you 5 Festivals in chronological order which are catching the attention of locals and also visitors to the beautiful state.
- Grape Escapade
The Grape Escapade which is promoted by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) was held this year from the 4th to the 7th of February, at the DB Bandodkar Ground in Campal, Panjim. It not only attracted wine connoisseurs from the alcohol and beverage industry, but also large crowds of partygoers interested in sampling good food and having a great time. The event could easily be renamed ‘The Great Escape,’ as you can quite literally get lost in the ambience for hours on end. The idea behind the event is to promote ‘Brand Goa’ as a lifestyle destination.
- Goa Food and Cultural Festival
The Goa Food and Cultural Festival took place between the 6th and 10th of April and showcased Great Goan food and delicacies. A real foodie’s paradise! The stalls ranged from 5 star restaurants promoting their popular fare, to the Home-made Hero’s serving up their sumptuous delights, just the way your mother made it when you were little. Musical performances and fireworks displays ensured the event went off with a bang.
- The Konkan Fruit Festival
As summer has kicked off and the temperature reaches breaking point, do not fear as the Konkan Fruit Festival keeps you feeling cooler than a cucumber. The 3 day event was held this year from the 22nd till the 24th of April, at Campal and was wonderfully organized by the Botanical Society of Goa. It was first held in 2003, before it took a sabbatical in 2008. Over recent years the festival is stronger than ever. We bet you will find varieties of fruit here that you didn’t even know existed. Whether your preference is exotic fruit in its purest form, in mulled wine or as a flavoured ice cream sorbet, all were there for the taking. Flowers and Bonsai trees were also on display to decorate your garden.
- The Summer Street Festival
The summer street festival also took place during the 22nd till the 24th of April and had a wide variety of activities to keep the kids and grown-ups equally amused. The venue for this fun-filled party was the Jardin Garcia de Orta, in Panjim. On Sunday evenings, over the past couple of years the famous bandstand atmosphere has been reignited and the Summer Street Festival serves up a similar feel good factor. The extravaganza, gives artists of all genres a platform to showcase their unique talent. The summer Street Festival certainly lives up to its name, from the face painters, to the chilled out music, to the barbecue grill everything is STREET!
- Goa Food and Musical Festival
Bringing the month of May in on the right note, the Herald newspaper promoted its own property, aptly called the Goa Food and Musical Festival from the 29th till the curtain came down on 1st of May. Through its wide daily readership, the Herald highlights issues facing Goa and Goans. Similarly, the Goa Food and Musical Festival, not only delivered top notch food and entertainment, but also had a strong social message, to bring to the forefront issues of Goans. The event was successfully held for the second year running.
So there you have it, 5 exciting Festivals recently held in Panjim, brought to you by ItsGoa. If you didn’t attend any of the fantastic 5 this year, be sure to set the dates in your calendar, especially if you are visiting Goa. If you did participate in any of the festivals, let us know your feedback on which is your favourite one?
