Christmas Unplugged Festival (Akwa Ibom State)
| Christmas Unplugged Festival | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1 December – 1 January |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | Unity Park (Ibom Christmas Park), Uyo |
| Locations | Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria |
| Years active | 2023–present |
| Founders | Government of Akwa Ibom State |
| Website | Akwa Ibom Christmas Unplugged |
Christmas Unplugged Festival is an annual 32-day Christmas cultural and entertainment festival held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The festival takes place from 1 December to 1 January at Unity Park (also known as Akwa Ibom Christmas village) and features daily performances, exhibitions, and entertainment activities showcasing the state's cultural heritage.[1][2][3]
Overview
Christmas Unplugged was introduced as a month-long celebration designed to promote tourism, local businesses, and cultural exchange in Akwa Ibom State. Each day of the festival highlights one of the state's 31 local government areas through traditional music, dance, cuisine, crafts, and exhibitions.[1][4]
Christmas Unplugged has become one of the festive events in south-south Nigeria, attracting residents, visitors, expatriates, and diaspora returnees. Its emphasis on cultural identity
The festival typically features:
- Cultural performances and heritage displays
- Local cuisine and culinary showcases
- Art and craft exhibitions
- Comedy shows, stage drama, and dance competitions
- Live concerts by regional and national artists
- A large night market and entertainment village
Venue
The event is hosted at the Unity Park also called Akwa Ibom Christmas Park, a multipurpose public space in Uyo designed for tourism and large gatherings. The park hosts hundreds of temporary kiosks rented by small and medium-scale vendors during the festival period.[5][6][7]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Akwa Ibom Christmas Unplugged - Discover Akwaibom". Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ Tokunbo2 (2024-12-05). "Top gospel singers, star artistes to light up Akwa Ibom Christmas Village". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Nwafor (2024-12-09). "Christmas Unplugged: Ibom Air making Akwa Ibom a choice destination, says Chairman". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ "Christmas Unplugged 2024: Gov Eno Bans Masquerades, Weird Displays". The Pioneer. 2024-11-24. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ Kareem, Azeez (2024-12-03). "Akwa Ibom arrests citizens re-selling Christmas kiosks at exorbitant rates*". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ Nwafor (2024-11-22). "Gov Eno warns against illegal sales of kiosks at Christmas village". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2025-11-18.
- ^ "Akwa Ibom: Nigeria's Premier Destination for the 2024 Festive Season". Businessday NG. 2024-12-21. Retrieved 2025-11-18.