Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu has promised tourism enthusiasts and fun seekers all over the world that the 2023 Carnival Calabar International Festival will live up to its billing as Africa's biggest street party.
Otu, who gave the assurance while flagging off the 2023 2nd Carnival Calabar dry run, Sunday, in Calabar the Cross River State capital, emphasized that this year's event would be the biggest, most organized and richer in content given the infrastructural development efforts being put in place To hem e the city aesthetics
"Dry runs are just preps to what is expected of the main event. During the first dry run, there was a complete implosion in the streets of Calabar. I know that the second one is also going to be electrifying.
"The streets lights has been restored. The seasons where Carnival trains are greeted with blackouts are over. Everything we need for the carnival would be topnotch because our globally acclaimed fiesta is back and back in the truest essence of it," the Governor, who was represented by the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem, stated.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Chairman of the State Carnival Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah, said the dry runs indicate that Carnival Calabar is looming.
He revealed that the Event Management Department had reintroduced the Dry Run Concert, with the full presence of all bands, slated for 7pm at the 11/11 roundabout, after dry run participants traverse the 12 kilometer carnival routes.
"Most spectators, audiences and attendees want to start the show with musicals. That was why the Event Management Department brought in the dry run concert, which was hugely successful in the first place.
"The essence of the dry run is to prepare for the main event, publicise it, as well as challenge the competing bands to rise up to the occasion and deliver their best with the aim of entertaining the crowd winning prizes," Onah concluded.
By Kingsley Agim
