BEVERLY HILLS, CA, November 17, (THEWILL) – Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, has restated that even though the annual Calabar Festival has been growing bigger every year, the 2013 edition will hit an all time high level.
With Tinapa as the backdrop, and supported by Nollywood stars and major corporate sponsors, Governor Imoke made this declaration in a in world press conference in where he invited Nigeria and the rest of the world to Africa’s Biggest Street Party.
Governor Imoke declared that the beauty of Nigeria is wholly expressed in the Calabar Festival and the unique brand should be jealously protected and promoted by all. He therefore used the occasion to call on the Federal Government and private sector to invest more in the creative industry, as it holds a lot for the country as regards revenue earnings.
Throwing more light on the 32-day event, the Governor said the festival begins on 30th November with a tree lighting ceremony, building up to its climax, the Carnival Calabar – Africa’s Biggest Street Party on the 26th and 27th of December 2013.
He explained that the line up of events had been informed by audience feedback, and a desire to further increase the reach and range of the event.
The Governor disclosed that the 2013 Carnival Calabar will feature international bands such as Beija-Flor – Brazil’s most successful band at the Rio Carnival, a band from Trinidad and Tobago, and cultural troupes from Rwanda, Ghana and France.
He further revealed that James Ene Henshaw’s seminal play ‘This is our Chance’ will be staged to herald a welcome return to the theatre.
Other theatrical offerings include “Kakadu” and “Les Grandes Personnes” – an artistic collective of storytellers, craftsmen and puppeteers who create large-scale effigies and locally-based storyline to produce street drama. They gained worldwide attention at the FIFA WORLD CUP in South Africa.
Unlike previous years, a Nigerian artist rather than a foreign star, would headline this year’s event.
This decision was taken following the observation by the Festival Planning Committee that Nigerian headliners consistently pull larger crowds than their international counterparts.
Our Festival Village, the hub of recreational and commercial activity for Calabar Festival, has been moved from the Cultural Centre to the larger space of the Calabar Municipality grounds on Marian Road.
Festival Village 2013 also marks the return of the popular Guinness Village and a new First Bank sponsored Children’s Village & Santa’s Grotto for family fun.
The Dangote Group will again be the main sponsor of the Children’s Carnival.
Green Ball – a charity event with an environmentally-conscious theme, also debuts this year.
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