VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Exhibition will finally commence on September 27 at Gollapudi Exhibition Ground after delays caused by court cases and adverse weather, officials said.
Arrangements for the exhibition like setting up stalls, electricity, parking, security and others also have nearly been completed. Actor cum Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna will inaugurate the event along with public representatives and exhibition committee members. More than 700 stalls are being set up, and arrangements for electricity, parking, and security have nearly been completed.
Originally scheduled for September 22 to coincide with Dasara festivities, the exhibition was postponed due to legal and weather issues.
The exhibition will feature shopping stalls, food courts, entertainment programmes, and music concerts. Daily classical, folk, and cultural performances are being held at Punnami Ghat, Kalakshetram, and Music College as part of the Vijayawada Utsav, drawing large crowds of devotees and residents. Devotees visiting Goddess Kanaka Durga and city residents are thronging these cultural venues with families, adding vibrancy to the celebrations.
Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath, who inspected the arrangements on Thursday, said the city was glowing with Navaratri festivities. “Under the slogan ‘One City – One Festival,’ Vijayawada Utsav has brought culture, tradition, and entertainment into one grand celebration,” he said.
Sivanath added that Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Tripura Governor N Indrasena Reddy, Odisha Governor Kambhampati Haribabu, Union Minister K Rammohan Naidu, and others will take part in the coming days.
The MP stated a massive carnival-style procession is scheduled for September 28 as part of the Utsav which will begin from the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium to Benz Circle. Nearly 3,000 artists dressed in Dasara-themed costumes will participate in the grand Goddess procession. “With folk arts, traditional attire, and diverse cultural displays, this unique parade will be presented under the banner of Carnival,” he added.
Sivanath said the event aims to inscribe Vijayawada’s name in the Guinness Book of World Records. He expressed confidence that the cultural extravaganza would elevate the city’s global prominence.