10 interesting facts you should know about Calabar carnival

Calabar Carnival is an annual event held in the city of Calabar, Cross River State Nigeria popularly known as Africa’s Biggest Street Party, which began in December 26, 2004 as a state-sponsored festival to mark the new millennium.

The carnival holds every December and was introduced by a former governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke as an act to mark Christmas celebration .

The vision of creating this festival was to make Cross-River a home of tourism and hospitality in Nigeria and Africa.

The quality of the festival has grown over the years making it Nigeria’s biggest carnival and an internationally recognized festival.

The carnival has always been entertaining and colourful as different competitions take place and huge cash prizes are won.

Calabar which is also known by the name Canaan City, is a city in south-eastern Nigeria. Calabar is actually the capital city of Cross River State.

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.

Here are ten interesting facts about Calabar carnival;

CARNIVAL EVENT:

The carnival features a variety of events, including musical performances, food competitions, a solidarity march, street parties, fashion shows, a prestigious essay writing competition, art shows, traditional dances and masque events.

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES:

Carnival teams often rehearse for months in advance, this rehearsal is popularly known as “dry run”.

The dry run sets a positive tone for the carnival and helps to build excitement for the main event.

The Calabar Carnival typically has three dry runs each year.

THEMED FESTIVAL:

The Calabar carnival posses a theme every year,this themes are aimed at addressing world’s and social issues. Past themes include” Sustaining Earth Treasures through Our Culture”, Our Strength and Resilience; the Bedrock of Our Future”,Climate Change”etc.

CULTURE SENSATION:

Carnivals are a way to express culture, creativity, and traditional knowledge. They can showcase a region’s culture, diversity, and identity. It is a celebration of Nigeria’s cultural mosaic, featuring a mix of indigenous cultures, performance traditions.

DIMENSION:

The Calabar Carnival is Africa’s largest street cultural festival. It can attract up to 50,000 costumed participants, 2 million spectators and a panel of impartial judges.

ECONOMIC GROWTH:

Carnivals generate business opportunities for many people, including singers, songwriters, costume designers, and makeup artists.

They can also boost the economy of the host region, it also generates significant economic activity across several sectors including, entertainment, security, media and hospitality.

Calabar festival as formerly known showcases Nigeria’s cultural richness and attract domestic and international tourists.

GLOBAL PARTICIPATION

The Calabar Carnival has grown into a global event, attracting participants and spectators from around the world. International bands from countries such as Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ghana often participate, bringing their own cultural flavor to the carnival.

This global presence adds a multicultural dimension to the event, making it a vibrant fusion of cultures

PROMINENCE:

The Calabar Carnival is known as “Africa’s Biggest Street Party”. It has gained international recognition and has grown in popularity and scale over the years, and is now a preferred destination for families during Christmas.

SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE;

The carnival has a “Green Carnival” initiative that promotes environmental conservation, tree planting, and recycling.

TOURISTS ATTRACTION:

The Calabar Carnival is a major tourist attraction in Nigeria that attracts thousands of tourists to Calabar, which boosts the local economy and showcases African rich culture.