Panjim, April 13: Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Mr. Laxmikant Parsekar recently inaugurated the five day Goa Food and Cultural Festival 2016 amidst much festivity, entertainment and extravaganza at the D. B. Bandodkar Ground, Campal, Panjim.
On the inaugural day, thousands of tourists and Goans converged at the venue to partake in the sizzling food and culinary event and enjoyed foot tapping musical entertainment by Goan performers and live concert by Indian Ocean.
The five day Goa Food and Cultural Festival is Goa’s biggest food and cultural event organized by Goa Tourism and Goa Tourism Development Corporation.
The Goa Food and Cultural Festival is the State’s largest canvas for food and culture and attract thousands of domestic and international tourists. This year the five day event promises to be sizzling and exciting with a line-up of around 80 stalls serving a blend of cuisines and beverages of Goa, India and international flavours and is expected to be attended by over two lakh visitors. Renowned Indian bands will perform live during the five day festival and Goan artists will showcase the best of Goan music and folklore.
Live food demos with new 3D cooking techniques, live feni distillation, cooking competitions and scintillating cocktails, fun and games with loads of prizes are some of the major highlights this year. A mammoth full LED stage will add attraction to the festival décor and the sound and lights will be powered by India’s renowned Sound Engineer, Roger Drego.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister, Mr Parsekar said, “The Goa Food and Cultural Festival is getting better every passing year with greater participation from the stakeholders and tourists. Such events will help boost tourism in Goa and promote Goan cuisine and culture in a big way.”
The Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Mr. Dilip Parulekar said, “The Goa Food and Cultural Festival brings tourists to Goa in large numbers. It is a meeting point for foodies and tourists who want to experience Goan culture and savour a variety of cuisine. The Tourism Department and Goa Tourism Development Corporation have made this festival a global event during the last four years since its revival.”
Mr. Parsekar viewed all the stalls which also included handicrafts, Goan delicacies and more.
He was accompanied along with Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Francis D’Souza, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Mr. Dilip Parulekar, Hon’ble MLA and Chairman of GTDC, Mr. Nilesh Cabral, Hon’ble MLA of Panjim , Mr. Sidharth Kuncalienkar, Chief Secretary, Mr. R. K. Srivastava, CCP Mayor, Mr. Surendra Furtado, Director of Tourism, Mr. Sanjeev C. Gauns Dessai and Managing Director of GTDC, Mr. Nikhil Desai