Vijayawada to host grand 11-day festival with films, music and sports for Dussehra from Sept 22

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government is set to host a grand 11-day festival, Vijayawada Utsav', from September 22 to October 2 for Dussehra, to boost tourism to Vijayawada.

The celebrations, organised under the banner of Shreyas Media, will feature a wide range of film, music, cultural and sports programs across major venues, including the Krishna riverfront, Tummalapalle Kalakshetram, Gollapudi Exhibition Grounds, Ghantasala Music College and Indira Gandhi Stadium.

Highlights of the Utsav include:

- Boat races on the Krishna River, water sports, a drone show, fireworks at Prakasam Barrage, amusement parks, shopping complexes, kids’ zones and cultural performances.

- Daily musical concerts, folk arts, dance performances, plays and film-related events, along with pre-release functions. The festival will begin with the pre-release of ‘Oji’ on September 22, followed by special song launches of Akhanda-02 and Mana Shankaravara Prasad garu.

- Participation of leading playback singers, bands and film stars, who will perform every day.

- Competitions such as Miss Vijayawada and Vijayawada Idol, along with 2K, 5K and 20K marathon runs, helicopter rides and hot-air balloon rides as special attractions.

- Presentation of Agni Awards and Social Media Awards.

Special arrangements for devotees

NTR District Collector Dr G Lakshmi said special arrangements are being made so that devotees visiting Kanaka Durga Temple during Dussehra can stay for at least two days and participate in the Utsav.

Every year, around 10–15 lakh devotees visit Vijayawada during the festival season, but until now, they had few attractions apart from temple visits.

Drawing inspiration from the Mysore Dussehra celebrations, the government plans to make the Vijayawada Utsav an annual tradition.