Panaji (Goa): Notwithstanding the embarrassment during the annual Grape Escapade for not obtaining the CRZ permission to host the festival at the venue located near the shoreline, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) is going ahead with another gala affair at the very same venue.
The Goa Food & Cultural Festival 2017 is set to raise the benchmarks from May 10-May 14 at the D B Bandodkar Ground, Campal. This is the same venue where the Grape Escapade 2017 was held last week with a social activist dragging the government to the National Green Tribunal for not obtaining the mandatory CRZ permission. The Tribunal had asked to oblige with the rules but the Corporation has claimed the court is being misguided as Campal ground does not require any such permission.
GTDC in association with Department of Tourism is organizing the festival to showcase the unique culinary aspect of Goa and the Goan culture and traditions through various programs and performances.
This year, the highlight of this festival will be the mammoth stage that will feature a huge LED wall to feature innovative creative content that is thematic to the festival. This will be a developed animation which will create stunning dynamic backdrops every minute ensuring a visual treat to every visitor.
The festival will also present elegant and exclusive set up and designs that will impress all the visitors coming from all over the country. The sound and lights is being designed and managed by India’s best Sound Engineer Roger Drego who has worked for International stars like Jlo, Shakira and Michael Jackson in the past. India’s top most lighting designer Michael Nazareth will design the lightings for the festival.
The festival will also feature Goa’s very own brew, Feni and will have a live distillation unit on site to educate and inform tourist about the Feni making process. The State government is contemplating to hold a special festival for Feni in the near future.
“Some of Goa’s best restaurateurs will dish out authentic Goan cuisine that will range from exotic seafood to mouth watering deserts. Some of the best chilled concoctions will be created in order to beat the heat with an array of local distillers creating innovative beverages,” a tourism official said.
Team TNV
