Carnival Calabar 2026 got on the road on Sunday, 18 October, when the first dry run held at Mary Slessor Roundabout in Calabar, and the rain that fell during it didn’t dampen the participants’ enthusiasm. This year’s edition is the 21st, the theme is “Rethinking Our Collective Destiny”, and the big Parade of the Bands is fixed for 28 December.
Speaking on behalf of the governor at the dry run, Cross River’s deputy governor brushed off the weather, saying “Nothing can stop us. Like today, you can see that the rain cannot stop us.” He also promised that this year would be better than last year, so if you’ve been thinking of spending your December in Calabar, now’s a good time to start planning.
The dry runs are where the December magic gets rehearsed
Dry runs are the street rehearsals held in the weeks before the main carnival, and Sunday’s outing was the first of four in the official calendar. The second dry run comes on 22 November, the final dry run on 6 December, and a junior dry run follows on 13 December.
To keep everyone fit enough for the long days, the Cross River State Carnival Commission runs a Carnival Fitness Jam. The Commission says the sessions, introduced in 2025, run from June to December each year and are meant to reduce the fatigue participants feel during dry runs and the carnival itself. They’re open to everyone, not only band members, so residents who just want to keep fit are welcome too.
Mark these December dates before you book anything
The state government has billed the 2026 edition as a 31-day fiesta, and the main street events are packed into the last week of the year, as the published calendar from November onwards shows.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| November (date to be announced) | Ikom-Ogoja Carnival |
| 15 November | Igbo Amaka Festival |
| 22 November | Second dry run |
| 6 December | Final dry run |
| 13 December | Junior dry run |
| 26 December | Cultural Carnival and Night of Kings and Queens |
| 27 December | Junior Carnival |
| 28 December | Parade of the Bands |
| 29 December | Bikers Carnival |
| 30 December | Street Party and Colour Runs |
Dates like these can shift, so confirm with the organisers before you pay for anything that can’t be refunded. If you’re saving towards the trip, an ajo contribution that pays out in December is one way some people plan for festive spending, and it’s worth reading up on why Nigerians take the ember months so seriously on the road before you travel.
Which band are you rooting for this year?
According to the Cross River State government, the event began in 2004 and became Carnival Calabar in 2005, when five competing bands were formed, namely Bayside, Sea Gull, Passion 4, Masta Blasta and Freedom. Diamond and Calas Vegas were added later, and a Diaspora Carnival Band has since joined them.
The Ekuum Cultural Band of the Ofutop people will make its debut in 2026 as a non-competing guest band, with its leadership saying it wants to share the story of its people and preserve the heritage handed down by their grandparents.
If you want a say in who wins, the state runs an official Carnival Calabar and Festival voting portal, which invites you to vote for your favourite band and follow the live results, and e-voting has its own place on this year’s programme, with a stakeholders’ conference on it listed for July.
From “Season of Sweetness” to a call to rethink our destiny
Every edition carries its own theme, and the state government lists the recent ones as “Season of Sweetness” in 2023, “Shared Prosperity” in 2024 and “Traces of Time” in 2025. This year’s “Rethinking Our Collective Destiny” was unveiled at a ceremony in Lagos on 31 May, which opened the 2026 calendar.
For anyone heading to Cross River, the second dry run on 22 November is the next rehearsal on the calendar, and it’ll give you a better feel for how the bands are shaping up ahead of the 28 December parade. Keep the organisers’ announcements close as December gets nearer, since that’s where any change to the schedule will show up first.
Join the conversation