One of Nigeria’s true cultural gems – Calabar Carnival, also tagged “Africa’s Biggest Street Party”, takes-off in December 2017. Annually, Calabar Carnival resonates and showcases Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity to the world. The one-month events will climax, December 27 and 28, with thousands of costume revelers blazing the streets of 12 kilometer carnival route to entertain huge audience.
The carnival will display Africa’s heritage through music, dance, drama and visual creativity. It will be reflected in the designs of floats, costumes and make-ups. The presence of twenty-six countries at the carnival – amongst them, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Greece, Brazil, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Rwanda shows Nigeria as hospitable tourism destination. Most of them will have their bands on the grand finale of the carnival.
A commissioner in the Carnival Commission in charge of media and publicity, Ikobi Ikobi, Tuesday, said 2017 edition of the carnival will host over 26 countries. Top on the priority is security. He said “I can assure tourists coming in for the event of adequate security because we are liaising with all the security agencies in the state to ensure a peaceful and fun-fill celebration”.
On his part, George Ekpungu, Commissioner for New Cities Development said the carnival had promoted talent and creativity since its commencement in 2004. Also, the event has united the people of Cross River and Nigeria in general due to its robust activities and mass participation.
Calabar Carnival was created in 2004 by Cross Rivers State Government of Donald Duke to make the state a first class tourist destination for Nigerians and tourists across the world. Tourism in Calabar has become, for the state, an instrument of socio-economic development. The government of Cross Rivers State projected that tourism will become one of the major drivers of the state economy.
