Goa Gearing up for Carnival 2017 – The Parade May Take Place on New Miramar Dona Paula Road

The Department of Tourism is gearing up for Goa Carnival 2017 which is scheduled to be held in the state between February 25 to 28 with a major focus on the Traditional and Cultural Aspects of Goa, revealed the sources in the department. Another Major development that will be witnessed in this Carnival is the change of ‘Carnival Parade Route’ from Panaji to New Miramar – Dona Paula highway.

According to information provided by the sources in Tourism Department of Goa, A high-level meeting was held in the Paryatan Bhavan under the chairmanship of Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar in presence of other members connected with the Goa Carnival 2017. The four-day carnival which is scheduled to be held on 25 – 28 February will have radical changes this time including the change in Carnival Parade Route which is existing since the Portuguese time. The existing route starting from Old Secretariat and finishing at Campal will be changed to the new route, Miramar Circle to Dona Paua Circle.    

According to the sources, Carnaval 2017 will be held in Goa between February 25-28, 2017. Float parades in the four major cities will be held as follows:  Panjim on 25^th February,  Margao on 26^th February, Vasco on 27^th February  and Mapusa  on  28^th  February. As far as the float parades in the minor cities, the parade in Ponda will be held on 28th February.  The dates for float parades in Shiroda and Curchorem will be finalized shortly.        

The decision in regards to the route from Miramar Circle to Dona Paula Circle is under consideration for the Panjim Carnaval float parade which will be held on 25^th February 2017. This decision will be finalized after taking the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) into confidence. An event management agency will be appointed to organize, manage and co-ordinate the float parade in Panjim and  will also assist other local committees at other centers.     

The selection of King Momo will be carried out through the usual process. During the discussions, it was mooted that carnival committees encourage participants to  include  more cultural aspects and minimize commercialization of floats. It has also been decided that polluting vehicles in the junk car category would not be allowed in the parade. Screening committees would be empowered to decide on the participation of floats and ensure that participants maintain decorum.  Prize money for the float parades will be the same as last year.                

All committees have been directed to submit details of their  programs  well in advance and take requisite permissions  from the  respective departments. Likewise, committees have been directed  to  take the assistance from the  police and  district  administration  for  ensuring  security arrangements  at the events and  parade routes. Standard entry forms for float parade participation will be uploaded shortly on the Department of Tourism website and participants can download the same and submit to the department  accordingly.         

It was also  informed that  in  the wake of  assembly elections,  the constitution of  carnival committees  may be  reconstituted  with officials  and  committees should  co-operate  for smooth and effective organization  of Carnaval in each of the respective centres.