Goa gears up for Shigmo 2026 with Grand Statewide Celebrations from March 5 to 18

Goa is gearing up to celebrate Shigmo 2026, one of the State’s most vibrant and awaited cultural festivals that highlights Goa’s rich folk traditions through music, dance, and artistic pageantry.

A meeting chaired by Minister for Tourism, Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, along with Director of Tourism, Kedar Naik, and Managing Director, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), Kuldeep Arolkar, was convened to review preparations for the Shigmo float parades scheduled across multiple centres in the State.

The deliberations centred on ensuring the seamless execution of the festival, including detailed planning of logistics, strict adherence to timelines, and promotional strategies to enhance the festival’s appeal and reach among locals and tourists alike.



Addressing the media, Naik announced that Shigmo 2026 will take place from 5th to 18th March 2026, featuring colourful float parades across 19 centres in Goa. The festivities will begin in Ponda on 5th March, followed by Calangute (6th), Panaji (7th), Mapusa (8th), Mandrem (9th), Bicholim (10th), Sanquelim (11th), Shiroda and Sanguem (12th), Dharbandora and Cuncolim (13th), Margao (14th), Porvorim and Vasco (15th), Valpoi and Curchorem (16th), Quepem and Canacona (17th), and will conclude at Pernem on 18th March 2026.

He further informed that the Department extends two types of grants to Shigmotsav Committees every year—infrastructure support and prize money. This year, infrastructure assistance has been enhanced by ₹1 lakh to further strengthen on-ground arrangements at the festival centres.

To ensure public convenience, the parade routes will be finalised by the respective committees in consultation with the Traffic Cell and relevant authorities. Committees have been instructed to strictly follow all prescribed rules and regulations. A new set of guidelines for Romtamel groups has also been introduced, including a maximum team size of 150 participants. All Shigmo processions are to commence by 4:00 PM and conclude within the stipulated time frame.

Representatives from various Municipal Councils, as well as officials from the Police Department, Traffic Cell, Fire and Emergency Services, and the Department of Tourism—including Assistant Director (Tourism), Jayesh Kankonkar—attended the meeting, underscoring the spirit of inter-departmental coordination aimed at ensuring the smooth conduct of the festivities.

Shigmo Festival 2026 promises to once again bring together Goans and visitors in a grand celebration of the State’s living heritage—through vibrant floats, folk performances, and the joyous rhythm of Goa’s cultural heartbeat.

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