COVID-19 update: Goa cancels the popular Shigmo spring festival this year

Goa has announced that this year no Shigmo spring festival parades will be held due to sudden hike in COVID-19 infections. Shigmo is the biggest spring festival in Goa and was scheduled to take place in the first week of April.

The decision to cancel the festival was to prevent the further increase in the COVID-19 numbers, informed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said in the Goa Assembly. Serious issues were raised in the assembly by MGP MLA Sudin Dhavalikar regarding the rising numbers and organising the festival in such times.
"The state government will give compensation to the artists who take place in the annual Shigmotsov celebrations. The decision to cancel the Shigmo parades in the state has been taken to avoid further spread of the Covid-19," Sawant said.

The Shigmo Float parades are hosted every year in the month of April by the state tourism department along with the carnival festivities. This year also the parades were scheduled to be held in three cities just like pre COVID days.
However, the traditional Shigmo festivities will continue in the various temples of Goa. But the hosts must follow all the restrictions, informed the CM. He also said that all the number of attendees in weddings will also be limited.

Shigmo festival is an annual spring fest celebrated by the Konkani folks of Goa. This is the time when local artists get a chance to display their work and art.