Celebrations reflect the soul of a place. Right from the world famous ones that make it to the gram, to smaller galas and events that add on to the ‘must attend’ calendar, festivals go on to unfold cultures and reveal the rare essence of a place.
In 2024, tourism destination Goa went beyond tapping to the beats of the ghumot to sway to melodious tunes as each month brought its own unique celebration keeping the State on its toes.
And now, as the year draws to an end, it seems fair to turn back one final time and nostalgically reflect on the moments that celebrated Goa and her glorious festivals.
ANNUAL HEADLINERS
Finding space on the front pages of local dailies and creating a buzz across the State were Goa’s annual favourites.
For over five days, up to February 13, vibrant floats and spirited dancers paraded the State’s streets at the Carnival extravaganzas held across her major cities.
Similarly, the sounds of the dhols and tashes rang out as Shigmotsav parades were held at different places for nearly 14 days with gigantic floats and traditional folk dances, that were nothing short of a cultural spectacle.
While February and March set the stage for revelries, June, like every year, made its mark by ringing in Goa’s annual rains and along with it came a wave of splashing celebration—the all-time-favourite feast of Sao Joao.
As people in North Goa’s villages of Siolim, Aldona and others dived into wells to commemorate the event, the Goan diaspora around the world did it their way, keeping in tune with the cheer and spirit of their motherland.
A similar excitement poured along the Goan streets at Diwali, where huge, creative effigies of Narkasura were erected and consigned to flames at night. At Christmas time, twinkling stars and live-size cribs adorned every nook and corner of the State.
But the highly-anticipated event in Goa this year was the decennial exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier. The solemn inaugural where the relics of the saint were transported in an electric carriage was watched the world over on November 21.
FIRST TIMERS AND CHANGE MAKERS
Apart from the annual festivities, 2024 also saw many firsts on the event chart. Showcasing Goa’s culture, heritage and architecture through walks and workshops, the Heritage First Festival went on for almost half a month.
On the other hand, while the inaugural Brezelfest Goa bought German flair to South Goa, the first-ever Konkani spoken word festival ‘Uloi, Fuloi’ highlighted the State’s mother-tongue with poetry recitals, monologues and even stand-up comedy and rap.
While the debutants left quite an impression, others went on to shift a few gears to level up.
Making a strong comeback after nearly three years, the Monte Music Festival, conventionally held atop the scenic hill of Our Lady of the Mount, Old Goa, headed South to Benaulim for its final day concert.
Also for the first time, the Best Debut Director of Indian Feature Film Award was presented at the International Film Festival of India inspiring young filmmakers.
Furthermore, the International Purple Fest set a milestone with the launch of a 24x7 Disability Information Line service at the event.
AUTHENTIC VS COMMERCIAL
Goa boasts of many cultural celebrations including Chikal Kalo, Bonderam, Sangodd, Potekar, Three Kings Feast, Chorutsav, Gudi Padwa, Ganesh Chaturthi, Janmashtami, Makharutsav and Tripurari Purnima, as well as fests that honour her horticulture like the Konkan Fruit Festival, Ponsachem Fest, and the Cashew Festival and other crowd-puller events like the Aqua Fest, Serendipity Arts Festival and Spirit of Goa.
As more festivals are being added to the annual list, many have drawn eyeballs for becoming commercialised with others on the path of getting there. Concerns and efforts to preserve their authentic charm were raised during the year.
2025: ARE YOU READY?
Though it’s impossible to wind up the clock and relive the moments of 2024, we can look forward to festivities making their way into Goa’s event calendar in the next year.
The State that’s always lively with its celebrations has more on offer than just fun and if you want to experience all that, stay tuned to a great line-up of events that celebrate the unique spirit of Goa in 2025.