It is February 8, 2024, and the excitement is building up on the streets of Goa as Carnival is right around the corner. The curtain raiser for the fun fest will kick start tomorrow, February 9, 2024, at the service road in Porvorim, adorned with all things festive.
Bringing people together to celebrate an amalgamation of tradition, culture, music and entertainment, Goa's Carnival is an event that brings an energy of its own and raises the spirits of anybody that is part of it.
With floats, resounding music, colourful costumes and choreographed dances, this is one festival that speaks for itself.
As for the Carnival parade route, on Friday, the parade in Porvorim will begin from the Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition (IHM) and go up to Acdil School.
On Saturday, the Panjim parade will be flagged off at 3.30pm from the Old Secretariat building at the hands of Chief Minister of Goa, Dr Pramod Sawant.
The route for the Panjim parade will be from the New Patto Bridge to the Campal ground (SAG).
As for Margao on Sunday, the parade will begin near Holy Spirit Church and wend its way to Margao Municipal Council Square and in Vasco, it will start from St Andrews junction (Swatantra Path) to Joshi Chowk.
“The route in Mapusa will start from the Mapusa Court and wind up at the bus stand," informed Tourism Director, Suneel Anchipaka, at a press briefing on Thursday, during which the Carnival theme song was also released.
"The route that the Carnival parade will follow in Morjim will begin from the HDFC Bank Madhalamaz Mandrem to Ajoba Temple, Ashwem, Morjim,” he added.
This year, Carnival 2024 will see the reign of Clive Anthony Gracias who has been selected to be King Momo 2024. “I feel great, this is a long-cherished dream that has come true after trying for a period of ten years,” he said.
Never stop dreaming and focus on the positive, is what he urges people to do as he prepares to take on his regal duties in Porvorim this Friday.