multi-dimensional, multi-faceted tourism leisure and entertainment
programme in West Africa. Thirty-two days of exciting events,
colourful activities and unprecedented yearly participation by close
to a million people from all over the world. A festive season that
started at the turn of the Millennium has grown in popularity, scope
and participation year in, year out.
Today, it is arguably Nigeria's strongest tourism brand. The Cross
River State Government has employed this Festival/Carnival over the
past years to drive its tourism efforts and provide exposure for its
vast tourism sites and infrastructures such as the Obudu Ranch Resort,
the Tinapa Business Resort, Marina Resort, etc.
The Festival starts with the Tree-Lighting ceremony on the 30th
November at the Millennium Park, Calabar and culminates in the
Thanksgiving Ceremony on 1st January of the succeeding year. In
between, there are musical concerts which have featured renowned
national and international artistes like Lucky Dube, Joe, Alpha
Blondy, Hugh Masekela, Oliver Mtukudzi, Akon, Kirk Franklin, Donnie
McClurkin, Chevelle Franklyn, Fat Joe, NeYo, Asa, D'banj etc have all
at one time or another graced the Festival with their rhythms and
lyrics.
There are also awareness campaigns and seminars on contemporary issues
of global concerns, children's Christmas Camp, theatre performances,
vocational training for youths, fashion and food fairs, a weekend at
the Obudu Mountain Resort to celebrate Africa, and so many other side
attractions. Of course there is a two-day Carnival Calabar to spice up
the season.
Carnival Calabar is a unique display of African heritage showcased
through music, dance, drama and visual creativity which is reflected
in the design of floats, costumes and make-up. Despite the fun and
relaxed atmosphere around the carnival, a great degree of thought,
creativity and discipline goes into the interpretation of the carnival
theme under a strict adjudication process. The result is pure magic –
an outpouring of colour, sound and spectacle, unmatched by anything
else on the continent.
Carnival Calabar takes place on the26th and 27th December each year,
and is the highlight of the 32-day Calabar Festival which runs from
30th November to 1st January. The carnival is the largest cultural
festival in Africa with 50,000 costumed revellers, 2 million
spectators and an audience of over 50 million television viewers on
NTA Network, NTA International, AIT, CRBC and Continental TV (Africa
Magic, Channel 0 and MTV Base)
Carnival Calabar features 5 major competing bands and many
non-competing bands. The major bands are comprised of approximately
10,000 revellers each, including up to five kings and queens wearing
large scale costumes that interpret the annual theme and set the tone
for the other outfits.
Sections of these costumed revellers create a riot of colour and
sparkle, accompanied by live music, Djs, well-decorated floats and
steel bands. The carnival parade terminates at the Uj Esuene Stadium
which is the final adjudication and end point of the competition for
'Band of the Year' in various categories. This competition attracts an
additional 15,000 seated spectators and 10,000 others in and around
the stadium, as well as 50 million TV viewers.
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