Nagpur : The second World Orange Festival will be held in the city from January 18 to 21st in the city. The festival, while offering its famed oranges to the world, will also showcase and brand the exquisite fruit in order to boost its export.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will inaugurate the festival while Union minister for road transport, highways and shipping, Nitin Gadkari will preside over the programme.
Union minister of State Hansraj Ahir, revenue minister Chandrakant Patil, finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and tourism minister Jaikumar Rawal will be the chief guests of the programme which will be attended by MPs and MLAs of the region.
Agricultural experts and scientists from various countries will participate in the workshops and guide farmers. Events under the festival will be held at Reshimbaug ground, South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC) and Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Hall.
The festival will include an agriculture exhibition at Reshimbag ground and food show, dramas, dance, fancy dress competitions and musical nights.
Agri exhibition at Reshimbaug ground
Leading companies will showcase their products at the agriculture exhibition to be held at Reshimbaug ground. Information will also be given on orange seedlings, planting methods, getting quality production, exports etc.
A CCRI fruit show has been arranged. Workshops on new orange varieties, exports and orange value chain, business to business, etc will be held from 10 am to 6 pm on January 19 and 20.
Workshop, seminar, fruit show will be held from 10 am to 4 pm on January 21. Singer Swapnil Bandodkar will stage a programme from 5.30 pm to 7 pm. Select orange farmers will be given awards for exceptional work.
Cultural nights at SCZCC
Entertainment programmes will be held from January 18 to 21 at SCZCC. The programmes will continue from 2 pm to 10 pm and everyone will be allowed to attend. The programmes will include food and flea market, live music performance, stand-up comedy show, puppet show, candy floss girl, mirror show, etc.
Renowned chef Vishnu Manohar will give the recipe of orange ‘halwa from 12 noon to 3 pm on January 19. Celebrity chef Sanjiv Kapoor will hold a workshop and prepare various dishes from orange sfor women folks from 12 noon to 2 pm on January 20.
A competition has also been organised where women will have bring their dishes from home. The winners will be awarded prizes. .
Celebrity chef Gautam Maharishi will hold a cookery workshop from 12 noon to 3 pm on January 21.
Musical programmes, drama
A Marathi play Amche hiche prakaran will be staged at Dr Vasantrao Deshpande Hall from 1 pm to 3 pm on January 20. There will be free entry to the drama. Sufi singer Kutle Khan will render his presentation from 7 pm to 10 pm.
Fireworks show on 19
A fireworks show will be held at Futala Lake from 9 pm to 10 pm on January 19 and will be a never-seen-before event for Nagpurians.
Orange Street at DNC on 20th
Orange Street programme will be held at Dhanwate National College ground from 7 pm to 10 pm on January 20. Flash mob, dance workshop, yoga, zumba, cycle stunts, football stunts and other sports events will be held during the programme.
Carnival on 20th
A carnival will be taken out from 4 pm to 7 pm on January 20. International artistes will showcase their musical talent on a mobile stage. The carnival will begin from West High Court Road.
ALSO READ : Nagpur is set to host the First World Orange Festival
