tival 2026 will unfold across Panaji, Assolna, Benaulim, Old Goa, Mapusa and Margao.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n ~\u00a0 The festival celebrates Goa\u2019s built, natural and cultural heritage through guided walks and immersive workshops led by researchers and practitioners who have spent decades in their chosen fields.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Goa Khabar<\/strong> In a state where motorcycle pilots are part of everyday life, cultural researchers and heritage champions will take on the role of \u201cPilots\u201d, guiding visitors through Goa\u2019s most compelling stories. The third edition of the Heritage First Festival begins on November 14 and ends on December 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Organised by Heritage First Goa Learning and Education, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to education, research and public learning around Goa\u2019s built, natural and cultural heritage, the festival will be held in three phases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year\u2019s festival features 47 walks and workshops led by Pilots, comprising local researchers, artists, naturalists, writers and craftspeople. The name pays tribute to Goa\u2019s iconic motorcycle pilots, who have carried Goans and visitors across the state for generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What sets the festival apart is that several walks are adopted by Goa-based businesses and individuals who have come forward to support the initiative, an approach the organisers say no other festival follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur Pilots are the heart of this festival. Each one knows a part of Goa\u2019s story and shares it on a walk. Walking through Mapusa, Panaji and the villages around them, you see that heritage is alive and needs people to care for it,\u201d said Jack Ajit Sukhija, co-founder of Heritage First Goa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have watched this festival grow from 32 walks in the first edition to 47 walks and workshops this year, and what moves us most is the number of people who return as guests and stay on as advocates. Heritage is protected when people have a reason to care about it,\u201dadded Heta Pandit, co-founder of Heritage First Goa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Highlights of this edition include a petroglyphs workshop led by Onkar Kshirsagar and a community dog workshop with Vikram Hoshing. Jack Sukhija and Heta Pandit will lead the Full Moon Walk through the streets of Panaji, and Darpana Athale will lead a Kaavi art workshop. The programme will also feature a wild edibles workshop with Assavri Kulkarni, a typography walk through Mapusa with Avani Tanya and a Kunbi saree workshop exploring the art of weaving, led by Mahalaxmi Bhobe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of this year\u2019s workshops is centred on the Konkani language. \u201cA Journey Through the Diverse World of Goa\u2019s Poetry\u201d, a Konkani poetry workshop in Porvorim, will be conducted by Umesh Manohar Sardessai, son of Goa\u2019s iconic poet Manoharrai Sardesai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The festival\u2019s walks will span Panaji, Assolna, Benaulim, Old Goa, Mapusa and Margao, taking participants across diverse landscapes, including river islands, khazans, beaches, caves and hill trails. The programme is organised around four strands: built heritage, nature and biodiversity, arts and crafts, and hands-on workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHeritage is something you have to experience in person. Our Pilots take you into villages, markets, forests and workshops, and once you have walked through them, your understanding of Goa only grows deeper.\u201d said Snigdha Manchanda, Director of Heritage First Goa Learning and Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPutting this programme together means balancing places, seasons, tides and people. Whether you want a bird walk, a hands-on craft workshop or a night walk through Panaji, there is a place for you on this schedule.\u201d said SS Harihara, Programme Manager of Heritage First Goa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.goakhabar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/z-cinema-05.11.2026.png\")
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