Sri Vijaya Puram, June 17: In a bid to showcase the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as an attractive destination beyond the peak tourist season, the Department of Tourism has announced the launch of the Monsoon Carnival 2026, a three-day celebration that will bring together sports, food, culture, creativity and community participation from June 26 to 28.
Organized in collaboration with the Departments of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Institutions, Tribal Welfare, the Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council and other allied departments, the event aims to highlight the unique charm of the Islands during the monsoon season.
Officials said the carnival has been conceptualized to promote the Islands as a year-round tourism destination by showcasing the scenic beauty, cultural diversity and experiences that emerge during the rainy season. The initiative comes at a time when tourism authorities are increasingly looking to diversify tourism offerings beyond traditional seasonal travel patterns.
The three-day event will feature a mix of recreational, sporting and cultural activities designed to engage both residents and visitors. Key attractions include the Beach Sports Fest #VictoryVibes, Reel Making Competition #MonsoonMomentsANI, and the Monsoon Food Fest #MonsoonFlavours.
One of the major highlights of the carnival will be a knockout beach volleyball tournament scheduled for June 26 and 27 at Corbyn’s Cove Beach. Matches will be held daily from 3 pm to 8 pm in both categories, bringing together teams from across the Islands in a competitive sporting atmosphere.
The beach tournament is expected to add a vibrant sporting dimension to the carnival while encouraging greater participation in beach-based recreational activities. Corbyn’s Cove, one of the most visited beaches in the capital region, will serve as the venue for the event.
Another key attraction will be the reel-making competition titled #MonsoonMomentsANI, which seeks to capture the beauty and character of the Islands during the monsoon season through short-form video content.
Unlike many conventional competitions, the reel contest is open to participants of all age groups. However, entries must be original, created within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and should have a duration ranging between 30 and 90 seconds.
Participants have been encouraged to creatively showcase monsoon landscapes, local experiences, traditions, culture and everyday life during the rainy season. The entries will be evaluated based on creativity, originality, storytelling, visual quality, editing, relevance to the theme and audience engagement.
Tourism officials believe the competition will not only promote local talent but also help generate digital content capable of showcasing the Islands to a wider audience through social media platforms.
Food lovers can meanwhile look forward to the Monsoon Food Fest #MonsoonFlavours, which will be held at the ITF Ground throughout the three-day carnival. The festival will feature participation from registered hotels, restaurants, street food vendors, Self Help Groups, associations, government departments and other stakeholders.
Organizers expect the food festival to provide a platform for showcasing local culinary traditions alongside contemporary food offerings. The event is also expected to create opportunities for small businesses, local entrepreneurs and community groups to connect with residents and tourists.
Application forms for participation in the Monsoon Food Fest can be downloaded from the Tourism Department’s official website. The deadline for submission is June 23 at 11 am.
Registrations for the beach volleyball tournament will remain open until June 24, while entries for the reel-making competition must be submitted by June 25.
Officials said the Monsoon Carnival represents a collaborative effort involving multiple departments and community stakeholders, reflecting the administration’s broader vision of combining tourism promotion with cultural engagement and local participation.
With preparations underway, the Tourism Department has invited residents, visitors, sports enthusiasts, content creators and food entrepreneurs to take part in the celebrations and contribute to making the Monsoon Carnival 2026 a landmark event on the Islands’ tourism calendar.
The department concluded its invitation with a message celebrating the season itself: monsoon, it said, is nature’s gift that brings life, beauty and renewal, making it an ideal time for communities to come together in celebration.
