The 2010 edition of CARNIRIV The Port Harcourt Carnival was a top-line composite cultural and entertainment festival that connected with the public in a variety of ways. The People looked forward to it, visitors created time to attend, other events conceded to it, Port-Harcourt, the Garden City stood still for it. Going into its 4th Season since its revival in 2008, CARNIRIV The Port Harcourt Carnival is a rich socio-cultural showcase that has come to stay!
Drawing from the turn-out, impact, and major learning points from the 2010 edition, the concept for the 2011 edition has been excitingly revamped! CARNIRIV 2011 is poised to be bigger and better with increased avenues for improved visibility for PORT-HARCOURT, the Garden City as an emerging global tourist destination.
CARNIRIV 2011 HIGHLIGHTS
DATE: – 13TH 17TH DECEMBER, 2011
Venue: – Carnival Village, Liberation Stadium, Elekahia, Port-Harcourt.
2011 THEME: OUR CULTURE, OUR FUTURE
SUB-THEMES:
• Celebrating Positive Change
• Sustainable Co-existence
• Our Culture, Our Pride
CARNIVAL WEEK ACTIVITIES:
Opening Ceremony on tuesday 13th December, 2011
Children’s Parade on Tuesday 13th December, 2011
Daily cultural Performances at the Carnival Village
Boat Regatta at the Port-Harcourt Tourist Beach on Wednesday 14th December, 2011
And New for 2011: Ladies Nite @ the Carnival Village on Wednesday 14th December, 2011
Reggae/Old Skool/Talent Nite on Thursday 15th December, 2011 @ Carnival Village
Flagship Carnival Days: Friday 16th and Saturday 17th December featuring 2 days of spectacular street parade by the 23 LGA Heritage Floats and 5 Freestyle Bands respectively.
The Old Port-Harcourt Town Groove holds on Friday night at Aggrey road while the carnival week climaxes with a Peace Concert on Saturday night at the carnival village.
To deepen the message of peace and security consciousness, this year, as a special pre-carnival activity, the Rivers State Government will host the Grand Finale of the Miss ECOWAS Peace Pageant on Saturday 10th December, 2011. Organisers of the Pageant, 702 Productions have confirmed that the pageant contestants, drawn from countries within the ECOWAS region are due to arrive Port-Harcourt, Nigeria soon to commence camping ahead of the event.
The Port-Harcourt carnival, unlike its contemporaries across the country, remains a major cultural fiesta with a lot of fun, heritage and extensive cultural content embedded into the carnival content and structure. It is the people’s carnival and this is evident in the increasing level of citizenship participation. Interestingly, Nollywood actress, Monalisa Chinda who hails from Rivers State has been adopted as the face of the carnival for 2011.
The volume and quality of high-profile VIP visits to Port-Harcourt lately as well as State-hosted national and international events leaves one in no doubt that the Amaechi-led government has clearly demonstrated its commitment not only to ensuring and sustaining the existing peace in Port-Harcourt, but to position Port-Harcourt as an unarguably safe destination for both business and leisure.
In a media chat in Port-Harcourt recently, the Rivers State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Nabbs Imegwu assured that the State is committed to deepening and exploiting the opportunities for cultural integration that the carnival holds. Carnival Consultants, MessageWise Ltd, say they have a responsibility towards ensuring that the 2011 carnival not only succeeds like they achieved in 2010, but will strengthen and sustain the opportunities for economic expansion already in place.
