Probably the largest beach festival has started in Vizag from January 24 and will run till February 1. Over nine days the event expects around 10 lakh visitors. Tourism officials are preparing for a massive turnout.
The festival is being held across Vizag, Anakapalli and Alluri Seetaramaraju districts. The event is being organised at a cost of Rs 500+ crores. It will create jobs for about 3000 people directly and indirectly.
The festival will also support 500+ MSMEs and artisans by giving them a platform to display and sell their work. This is expected to boost local businesses. Many small traders are preparing for high visitor demand.
Promoted as India’s largest coastal festival, Visakha Utsav is spread across 26 km of scenic coastline. It brings together food, entertainment, culture, adventure sports, heritage and community participation in one large celebration.
Across 20 venues, over 500 events will be held with performances by 650 artists. Visitors will have many choices each day. The wide range of programmes aims to keep every age group engaged.
Adventure lovers can enjoy hot air balloon rides, helicopter rides, and beach and water sports. There will also be yoga sessions, cycling events, marathons and art installations across the festival zones.
Cultural performances, film music shows and comedy shows will run throughout the festival. These events are designed to attract families and young crowds. Every evening will offer something different.
The festival will also feature drone shows, fireworks, carnival walks, night markets and food festivals. These attractions are expected to be major crowd pullers. Night time events will add to the festive atmosphere.
RK Beach will host live concerts and drone shows. Rushikonda will be the hub for water and adventure sports. Bheemili will host boat races and cultural programmes for visitors.
Anakapalli will focus on heritage, meditation and folk arts. Araku and Lambasingi will host the coffee festival, tribal festivals and eco tourism activities. These regions will highlight local culture and nature.
The festival aims to strengthen the Vizag Araku Anakapalli tourism corridor. It also plans to position Vizag as a global coastal and youth tourism capital. Officials hope this event brings long term tourism growth.
