Berhampur,(YNS): The much-awaited Gopalpur Beach Festival, scheduled to be held from 27th to 30th January, will be celebrated in a grand manner. Elaborate preparations have been made to attract tourists from across the country and abroad, said Hon’ble Minister for Commerce & Transport, Mines & Steel, Shri Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, while addressing a press conference organized by the district administration at Gopalpur Circuit House. The Minister expressed hope that the Gopalpur Beach Festival, being organized as a grand celebration of culture, community participation, tourism promotion, sports, spirituality and environmental sustainability, would establish Gopalpur as an attractive global coastal tourism destination.
He informed that the four-day cultural festival will have stages named after eminent personalities of Ganjam district. The festival will be inaugurated in the august presence of the Hon’ble Governor, while the festive valedictory ceremony will be held in the presence of the Hon’ble Chief Minister.
After the press conference, Shri Jena visited the beach site to review the preparations and instructed officials to expedite all works. He emphasized that special care should be taken to ensure that the festival is conducted without any shortcomings. District Collector Shri V. Keerthi Vasan briefed the media about the extensive preparations undertaken by the district administration and various organizations. Similarly, Berhampur SP Dr. Saravana Vivek M elaborated on the arrangements made for law & order and traffic management. Among others present were Berhampur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Shri Prathamesh Arvind Rajsirke, Additional District Magistrate Dr. Pramod Kumar Prusti, Shri Debadatta Panda, Shri Sunil Kerketa, and Berhampur Sub-Collector Shri Abinash Kumar, Programme Schedule To generate public enthusiasm and ensure large-scale participation, several pre-festival activities have been planned, Tree plantation drive along the entire 10 km stretch from Gopalpur Junction to Gopalpur Beach to promote green tourism. On 24 January 2026, a massive coastal cleanliness drive will be conducted across the entire Ganjam coastline, from Indira Beach (Ganjam) to Sonapur Beach under Chikiti Block. Government officials, civil society members, volunteers and various social organizations will participate collectively in the cleanliness drive.
A Mega Marathon will be organized on 25 January 2026, with an expected participation of around 1,200 runners. Prize money for top three winners in men’s and women’s categories will be, First Prize ₹12,000, Second Prize: ₹8,000, Third Prize: ₹5,000 All marathon finishers will receive participation certificates and medals. A torch rally will simultaneously commence from Maa Taratarini Temple (Purushottampur), Maa Balakumari Temple (Chikiti) and Maa Kulada Devi Temple near Bhanjanagar. Passing through important religious and heritage locations, the rally will converge at Gopalpur Beach, where the festival will be inaugurated with a Sea Aarti. Sea Aarti, laser show and kite flying will add to the grandeur of the festival. For the first time, three-day beach sports events will be organized, including Beach Football, Beach Kabaddi, Beach Volleyball, Beach Handball, Tug of War, Yoga, karate Recreational and entertainment sports A total prize money of ₹2 lakh has been earmarked for beach sports. Participants will receive T-shirts, refreshments, participation certificates and on-stage felicitation. A grand Pallishree Mela with around 250 stalls will showcase products of SHGs, industries, handicrafts, handlooms and local traders from across the country. Stalls by Army Air Defence College, Gopalpur, IREL, Gopalpur Port and other government departments will display flagship schemes and achievements. Around 50 food stalls from various regions of Odisha will offer a wide variety of delicacies for visitors. With the presence of the Hon’ble Governor on 27 January and the Hon’ble Chief Minister on 30 January, the four-day festival will also be attended by the Hon’ble Commerce & Transport Minister, Hon’ble Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Minister, other Ministers, MPs, MLAs and PRI representatives of Ganjam district. Traditional art forms of Ganjam such as Daskathia, Pala, Ghanta Mrudanga, Ranapa, Prahlad Natak, Ramlila, Radhaprem Leela and Dhumpa, along with performances by local cultural troupes, youth and emerging talents, will be showcased. Folk dances from across Odisha including Naga Dance (Puri), Kui Dance (Kandhamal), Gotipua (Puri), Ghumura (Kalahandi), Dhemsa (Koraput) and Ghudka (Balangir) will also be presented. Cultural troupes from other states will perform Bihu (Assam), Kalbeliya & Ghoomar (Rajasthan), Chenda Melam & Kathakali (Kerala) and Purulia Chhau. Star Nights featuring renowned national and state-level artists including B Praak, Kuldeep Pattanaik, Ananya Sritam, Rahul Sipligunj, Maithili Thakur, Kailash Kher, Ruturaj, Barnali Hota and others will be organized. A special attraction, “Ollywood Night”, will be held on 29 January 2026, celebrating the legacy of Odia cinema with 27 prominent Ollywood artists, led by Odisha Cine Artists Association President Shri Siddhanta Mahapatra. Coordination among Police, Fire Services, Works Department and Revenue Administration is being ensured for security, crowd control and smooth conduct of the festival.
