Sri Vijaya Puram, Apr. 10: As already announced by the Department of Tourism, A & N Administration, the 3 days Island Food Festival 2026, themed “A Celebration of Taste, Culture & Tradition”, will be held from 17th to 19th April, 2026 at the ITF Ground, Sri Vijaya Puram. The festival is envisioned as a grand celebration of the rich culinary diversity, cultural heritage, and traditional vibrancy of the Islands. A series of cultural programmes has been planned to create a lively, engaging, and memorable experience for the audience, in addition, to organize awareness-oriented performances and skits on important and emerging issues to educate and sensitize the public on matters relating to safety, security, and responsible citizenship, thereby contributing to the well-being of islanders. Cultural programmes will be held on all three days from 5 pm to 9 pm.
Applications are invited from talented and enthusiastic individuals, cultural associations, and students from schools/colleges to showcase their talent in the Island Food Festival 2026. Performances are invited under the categories such as folk, traditional, classical, contemporary/bolly-hop dance, singing, skits, puppet show, instrumental music (guitar, flute, etc.), self-composed poetry, live band, including karaoke (solo, duet, and group performances). The Department will provide only the stage, sound system, and audience. Participation is purely voluntary, and no remuneration shall be provided. However, appreciation mementoes and certificates will be awarded to selected participants in recognition of their contribution. Interested participants must submit programme details, artist information, duration, and audio-visual (AV) recordings. Selection will be based on the submitted AVs and details, considering performance quality, creativity, and originality, relevance to the festival theme, group coordination, and suitability for an official public event. The decision of the Selection Committee shall be final and binding.
In addition, the festival will also feature cooking competitions under the theme: “Cooking without Fire: A Journey towards Nutritious Living”. The schedule of competitions is as follows:
| Date | Competition | Details | Remarks |
| 17th April 2026 | Refresh & Revive – Island Welcome Drinks | Using local products such as mango, coconut, etc. | · Participants must bring their own raw materials/ ingredients/ utensils etc.
· Participants must present their dish with its name and a brief description. · The competition is strictly “Cooking without Fire”; no heating devices will be permitted. · Participants must report 1 hour prior to the event for registration. · Only pre-cooked, ready-to-eat, or raw ingredients may be used. · Participants must bring their own ingredients and utensils. · Use of fresh, hygienic, and locally available ingredients is encouraged. |
| 18th April 2026 | Fruit & Vegetable Carving | Using locally available fruits and vegetables | |
| 19th April 2026 | Theme-Based Cake Decoration | Theme: Island Food Festival – A Celebration of Taste, Culture & Tradition |
Criteria for Judgement would be Creativity & Innovation, Taste & Flavour, Presentation, Hygiene, and Adherence to Theme. Winners of the competitions will be suitably awarded by the Department of Tourism. The festival will serve as a prestigious platform for participants to gain exposure and promote local art, culture, and healthy culinary practices. Query/ entries & details of the cooking competition may be obtained from Smti. Anila Ekka, HC, DIPT, Mob. No.9474217630 or Smti. Reshma, Consultant, RD Dept., Mob. No. 7063970389 and for cultural performances send entries in the official E-mail id Manager (Ops/GH) andamantourismgh@gmail.com or may contact Shri Chander Rao, HK Astt. Manager, Mob. No. 9933260324 during office hours on or before 15.04.2026 by 4 PM
