The Kolkata Christmas Festival will be back in all its glory and grandeur this year after two years of low-key celebrations because of the pandemic and travel beyond the city to churches across Bengal. The 12th edition of the carnival will be inaugurated at Allen Park, Park Street, on December 21.
In Kolkata, Park Street, Allen Park and Cathedral Road will dazzle with lights as usual but this year Bow Barracks, too, will be illuminated with special thematic lights. "Churches in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Chandernagore, Bandel, Krishnagore and Baruipur and police commissionerates at Alipurduar, Asansol, Howrah, Bidhannagar and Jhargram will be also lit up from December 21 to January 1, 2023,” West Bengal tourism minister Babul Supriyo said.
Babul Supriyo, Shane Calvert and others at a press conference to announce the 12th edition of the Kolkata Christmas Festival on Friday. Bishwabijoy Mitra
In another first, the West Bengal Tourism Department and The Park Hotel, Kolkata, are planning to organise a specially decorated horse carriage that will carry Santa Claus around Park Street.
“The lights at Bow Barracks are going to be remote-control-operated. We want to bring out the true beauty of the Anglo-Indian residences,” said Shane Calvert, former MLA and vice-chairman of the West Bengal Minorities’ Commission.
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The temporary food stalls, which were not set up during the past two Christmases because of the pandemic, will make a comeback this year. “There will be around 30 food stalls and all have been booked. The participants would not have to pay any money for the stalls, while the visitors will be able to enjoy not just Christmas cakes and chocolates, but a wide variety of cuisines, including Chinese, Goan and Anglo Indian,” said an organiser.
The food stalls will be run by women from Christian, Anglo Indian, Nepali and Goan communities.
The musical events will be held at Allen Park like every year. The line-up of musicians will be announced soon. Cultural programmes will be held from December 21 to December 30, except on December 24 and 25 when Allen Park will be closed. The Buskers’ Musical programme will be held on Camac Street from December to 21 December 23, 6pm to 8pm.
The Kolkata Police will put up a special programme on December 26. Church choirs will present English Hindi and Bengali carols.
Kolkata Christmas Festival
The West Bengal tourism department information kiosk and a first-aid stall will be set up at Allen Park.
Despite the pandemic, the footfall at the Park Street carnival had remained high and this year the organisers are expecting an all-time high.
What: Kolkata Christmas Festival 2022
When: December 21 to December 30
Where: Park Street and Allen Park
What to expect: Lights, food, music and more