Ahmedabad: The annual Kankaria Carnival 2025 will commence on December 25, bringing seven days of continuous cultural, musical and recreational activities for city residents. Organised by the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC), the carnival will continue till December 31 and is expected to attract lakhs of visitors every day to the Kankaria Lakefront.

This year, three specially designed stages have been set up within the carnival premises, with programmes scheduled daily from 6 am to 10 pm. The line-up includes folk and classical dance performances, cultural shows, light-and-sound presentations, laser shows, horse and dog shows, DJ nights, rock band performances and live concerts. Each evening will conclude with performances by renowned artists such as Kirtidan Gadhvi, Parth Ojha, Geetaben Rabari, Brijdan Gadhvi, Ishani Dave, Rehan Khan and Priyanka Basu, along with orchestra-led musical nights.

Here is the full schedule of the Kankaria Carnival

In addition to stage performances, visitors will be able to enjoy major attractions at the Kankaria complex, including Kids City, the Zoo, Nocturnal Zoo, Balvatika, Butterfly Garden, Nagina Wadi, the Musical Fountain, amusement rides, recreational activities and the Fish Aquarium. Special selfie points, themed installations and a large food court have also been set up, while nightly laser and light-and-sound shows are expected to add to the festive ambience.

Apart from these, a wide range of programmes will be organised from morning to evening between December 25 and 31. These include sound meditation, yoga and laughter yoga sessions, Zumba, aerobics, pyramid shows, music and magic shows, dance performances, Gujarati folk dances, a clown festival by the Bombay Circus, tabla recitals, classical dance based on the Ramayana, live singing, nail art, tattoo making, juggler acts, mehndi art, stilt walking, live karaoke, carnival games, laser beam shows, flea markets, and light-and-sound shows.

Extensive security arrangements have been put in place in view of the large crowds expected each day. More than 110 CCTV cameras have been installed inside and outside the Kankaria complex to enable close monitoring by the police. In addition, over 34 CCTV cameras have been installed at all seven entry gates for head counting and face recognition. Personal accident insurance, fire insurance and public liability policies have also been arranged for visitors.

It may be noted that the Kankaria Carnival has been organised every year since 2008 at Kankaria Lake, which was developed as an international entertainment centre under the Vibrant Gujarat vision of the then Chief Minister and current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. The carnival’s popularity has continued to grow over the years due to its innovative artistic, cultural and entertainment offerings.