Team Herald
MARGAO: The Margao Fatorda Carnival programme is going to be bigger and better this time round. With the punch-line of taking Carnival of Margao Fatorda ‘Back to the streets’, the Margao Municipal Council along with the ‘We for Fatorda’ has chalked out a four-day Carnival extravaganza.
Margao Fatorda Carnival Committee has as always planned to host khell tiatr in every ward and provisions of budget to the Councillors have been made to get the essence of Intruz into the carnival celebrations all over Margao and Fatorda. As a part of a new feature, for the first time the Committee has taken 13 five star hotels on board the carnival celebrations and which will have various food stalls and the foreign and high end tourists getting a glimpse of the Goan carnival. The committee has plans to upgrade Salcete Carnival to Panjim standards and beyond.
A four-day program has been lined up at the Opinion Poll Square and the street ahead. The TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai has boasted of reviving a 25-year-old tradition of street dance during the Carnival and the same will be held on from February 10 to 13, 7 pm onwards.
International bands, international cuisines, top Goan bands/DJ performances with the performance of the Nightingale of Goa, Lorna will be hosted all for free and open for all. The carnival parade will be held on February 11, from 4 pm onwards at the Opinion Poll Street.
The Tourism Department has sanctioned a grant of Rs 20 lakh for the celebration and the rest of the finances have been raked in by the ‘We for Fatorda’ and also sponsors like FC Goa and Kingfisher.
Meanwhile, Vijai has said that he plans to make Opinion Poll Square a ‘no motor zone’ and to have a street market like a flea market. “Getting tourism attracted to Fatorda is the prime objective and the promotion of exclusively Goans is the benchmark we will follow,” Vijai said.
