The people of Kalabari in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State have extended a warm invitation to Nigerians and lovers of culture to join them in celebrating this year’s Kalabari New Year Festival, a vibrant showcase of heritage, art, and unity.
In a statement released on Monday by the 2025 New Year Festival Organizing Committee and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Ibiba DonPedro, the celebration is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, and conclude on Sunday, November 16, 2025.
The festival, themed “Heritage of the Old, Culture of the New,” will kick off with an Art Exhibition at the Moriri Gallery of Contemporary Arts on November 12, beginning at 8 a.m. According to the committee, the exhibition will highlight Kalabari culture through paintings, sculptures, and creative expressions that tell the community’s rich historical story.
Following the exhibition, the main festival activities will climax on November 16 with a colourful Boat Regatta, which will terminate at Elem Kalabari — the venue for the grand finale. The regatta, known for its breathtaking display of decorated canoes and rhythmic paddling, symbolizes the Kalabari people’s deep connection to their riverine heritage.
The committee also disclosed that the weeklong event will feature royal blessings from the Amanyanabo of Kalabari and other traditional rulers, alongside a series of cultural performances such as masquerade displays, Iria dance exhibitions, pageantry, and musical performances.
Other highlights will include an award ceremony honouring distinguished Kalabari sons and daughters, a homecoming segment for indigenes in the diaspora, and the unveiling of the Kalabari Blue Carbon Investment Initiative — an environmental sustainability project promoting conservation and green growth.
The festival will also witness tree planting activities and end with the issuance of a communiqué aimed at strengthening cultural preservation, community development, and intergenerational unity.
The organizing committee assured that the 2025 edition would not only celebrate Kalabari’s artistic and traditional heritage but also reaffirm the people’s commitment to cultural renaissance and environmental stewardship.
