Cross River governor lights Christmas tree to launch Calabar Carnival at 20
Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu has lit the state’s giant Christmas tree to formally kickstart activities for the 20th anniversary edition of Carnival Calabar. The ceremony, held in Calabar, signalled the official start of this year’s festivities, which attract thousands of tourists, investors, culture enthusiasts, and entertainment lovers to the city every December. Otu described the tree-lighting and the carnival as symbols of unity, joy, and renewed commitment to using tourism and culture to grow the state’s economy and promote Cross River on the global stage. He noted that the 2025 carnival, themed “Traces of Time”, will run for several weeks with a packed schedule of parades, concerts, cultural displays, food fairs, sports events, and charity activities across Calabar and other parts of the state. The governor also used the occasion to commend his predecessors for laying the foundation […]
