The Cross River State Governor Senator Bassey Otu would light up Calabar Carnival and unveil a 40ft Christmas Tree in the Millennium Park in Calabar.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Events Management, Effiong Ekpenyong, who disclosed this in Calabar while unveiling activities planned for this year's festivities, said this year's Carnival will be a 32 days fun filled activity beginning on the 1st of December where the event will be flagged off.
Other activities lined up for this year's carnival, he said, include a boat regatta, voices of Calabar choir competition, and a Queen of Humanity beauty contest.
He said elders will also participate in the festivity and an Elders Night for people above 65 years will be held where our elders will be honoured and celebrated.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the State Carnival Commission Austin Cobham said sponsors and partners will participate extensively in this year's carnival and the state government will only step in areas where there are no sponsorship.
He added that several countries, 20 states in Nigeria and the eighteen local government areas in the state will participate in the cultural carnival.
He also disclosed that the Children's Carnival will be brought back and will be staged in a way that is consistent with the State's Child Rights Act and the UNICEF charter.
He said the commission is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that this year's festivities is quite memorable.
On his part, the state commissioner for information Erasmus Ekpang said the state capital is being given a face lift and major rehabilitation of roads within the metropolis is underway.
By The Beagle News Reporter
