Preparations are in full swing for the first International Water Festival in Beypore. The festival will take place in December.
Efforts to make Beypore the top tourist destination of the district began after PA Mohammad Rias took over as the tourism minister. Mr. Riyas represents Beypore in the Legislative Assembly.
The festival, to be held from December 26 to 31, will be a celebration of water and the lifestyle associated with it. Apart from the clubs and organizations associated with water sports, local residents, especially the fishing community, will play a major role in the event, which will be held at Beypore Marina, where the Chaliyar River meets the Arabian Sea.
The organizers said that the festival will be a mix of arts, crafts, food and everything Kozhikode represents. CN Anita Kumar, deputy director of tourism and general coordinator of the festival, said, “During the six days we will have a flea market, cultural programmes, food festivals and craft exhibitions.”
The event will feature competitions in sea surfing, canoeing, kayaking, country boat races, tug of war on boat and boat decoration. In addition, water polo, parasailing, water skiing, timber rafting and water log racing are planned. The Indian Navy is likely to be a part of the event.
The event will be organized in partnership with private water sports companies, who have been invited to join hands with the district administration. The program will be finalized in a week, said Ms. Anita Kumari.
The state government has approved a plan to develop Beypore as a responsible tourist destination. The salient features of Beypore like the confluence of Arabian Sea and Chaliyar, harbour, breakwater, lighthouse, Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary, Kadalundikadavu estuary, and mangrove forest are expected to make it an ideal tourist destination. The project is expected to provide direct and indirect employment to over 1,000 people in four years.