VISAKHAPATNAM: From heritage treasure hunts and boat racing to kayaking competitions, paramotoring and hot air balloon activities, Visakha Utsav returns to Visakhapatnam today with a wide range of cultural, sports and tourism-focused programmes across the city.
Addressing a press conference in Visakhapatnam on Friday, Collector MN Harendhira Prasad said extensive arrangements for the conduct of Visakha Utsav, which will be held from January 24 to January 31. He stated that the festival is being organised with a mix of cultural events, sports competitions and entertainment programmes, with a focus on public participation and tourism promotion.
The main stage has been set up at RK Beach near the Kali Mata Temple, where programmes will be held daily from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. In addition, special cultural performances to encourage local artists will be organised at Gokul Park, opposite Novotel, between 5 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. every day. The inaugural ceremony on January 24 will be attended by District In-charge Minister D.B.V. Swamy, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh and others. A live concert along with a drone show, fireworks display and a carnival.
As part of the festival activities, food stalls, adventure sports, helicopter rides and paramotoring programmes will be organised. Special events will be conducted at Rushikonda Beach throughout the festival period, while boat racing will be held at Bheemili Beach from January 25. A series of sporting events including the Coastal Football League, Coastal Volleyball League and Coastal Kabaddi League will be conducted from January 27 to 29, with 40 teams participating in the football league.
Competitions such as rangoli and culinary contests will also be organised, with rangoli events at Andhra University Engineering College and cooking competitions under the supervision of Sun International School. A Children’s Olympiad will be held on January 31 at Swarna Bharathi Stadium, along with age-wise events such as baby crawling, running races, jumping ball and skating.
A heritage treasure hunt involving 25 college teams will be organised on January 29. Flea markets will be set up with 70 stalls at RK Beach and 15 stalls at Gokul Park. The festival will also feature competitions titled “Crown of Vizag”, including Mr Vizag, Miss Vizag, Mrs Vizag and Child Prodigy, with auditions at the VMRDA Children’s Arena.
Responding to queries, the Collector said that approximately Rs 8 crore has been allocated for the conduct of Visakha Utsav-2026. A Flower Show will be organised at VMRDA City Central Park on January 29, 30 and 31.
He said the festival is expected to attract large numbers of visitors, leading to increased activity in tourism, hospitality, transport and trade sectors, and generating employment opportunities. Registrations for various competitions can be made through www.visakhautsav.org
Joint Collector G. Vidhyadhari and others were present.
In a press statement, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh said that arrangements have been made across 20 venues with over 500 events and the participation of 650 artists. He stated that the festival is expected to generate economic activity exceeding Rs 500 crore, with a positive impact on the local economy and related sectors.
He further mentioned that the event is projected to create more than 3,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities in various sectors.