Saligao came alive with food, dance & music at the three-day“Goa Heritage Festival 2026”

Goa Kahbar: The Three-day Goa Heritage Festival 2026 concluded on a euphoric note on Sunday night with the crowd dancing to soulful tunes and Saligao – the venue coming alive to memorable performances and a moment to cherish.

Apart from entertaining performances, the festival also showcased the state’s culinary diversity and local entrepreneurship by women self-help groups amid community celebrations.

The inauguration marked by watering a Tulsi plant on Friday by the Hon’ble Minister was followed by felicitation ceremony honouring eminent personalities from the Saligao constituency in the presence of MLA and Chairman of Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), Kedar J. Naik.

Rohan A. Khaunte, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, said, The Goa Heritage Festival reflects the Government’s vision of promoting Goa beyond beaches by strengthening hinterland tourism and showcasing the state’s rich culture, heritage, traditions, and history. He said the festival has consistently created opportunities for local self-help groups, self-employed youth, and businesses while giving visitors an authentic experience of Goan cuisine, traditional products, music, and cultural performances. Highlighting the success of the initiative over the past three years, he expressed confidence that such festivals would further contribute towards making Saligao a ‘Swayampurna’ and self-reliant constituency.

Kedar J. Naik, Chairman GTDC said, “Saligao as a heritage constituency, stating that the village reflects Goa’s rich cultural and traditional identity through its churches, temples, and scenic locations such as Coco Beach. Emphasizing the importance of the Goa Heritage Festival, he said the initiative plays a significant role in promoting hinterland tourism and encourages tourists to experience Goa beyond its beaches by exploring the state’s diverse cultural and tourism offerings”

The festival saw the active participation of people along with domestic and international tourists, the inaugural came alive with traditional Ganesh Vandana and performances by David Furtado Productions, Harmony Orchestra, Band Forefront, followed by telecast of a Konkani film, dynamic LED and fashion shows and a special performance by renowned singer Sudesh Bhosle on Saturday.

The event concluded on Sunday night with traditional dance performances, live music by bands and the telecast of a classical Konkani film.

Other dignitaries at the inaugural event included Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Sadanand Shet Tanavade, MLA of Siolim Constituency and Vice Chairperson of the ESG  Goa, Delilah Lobo; Mapusa MLA and Deputy Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, Joshua De Souza; Director of Tourism, Government of Goa, Kedar Naik; and Managing Director of GTDC, Kuldeep Arolkar.