Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral
The Directorate of Art & Culture, in association with the West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur, will organise the annual National Folk Festival “Lokotsav 2026” at Darya Sangam, Kala Academy, Campal, Panaji, Goa. The festival will bring together around 500 performing artists from various states across India, presenting a vibrant showcase of folk dances and folk music representing the country’s diverse cultural traditions.
Alongside the performances, more than 600 craftspeople and traditional food vendors from different states of India and from Goa will set up stalls to display and sell handicrafts, handlooms, traditional jewellery, and regional food items during the festival period. The event offers a major platform for artisans and food vendors to reach a wide and diverse audience.
Applications are invited in the prescribed forms from interested Goan craftspeople who possess a valid handicraft artisan card or licence and are engaged in producing handicrafts, handlooms, traditional jewellery, and related items. Applications are also open to Goan individuals holding valid food licences for setting up packed or serving food stalls offering traditional Goan and Indian recipes, including Goan snacks.
Stall charges will be applicable to all selected participants. Handicraft and packed food stalls will be allotted on a sharing basis between two vendors, with charges shared accordingly. Payments must be made at the time of stall allotment through debit card or UPI only. Application forms are available at a nominal cost of Rs. 10. It is mandatory for handicraft applicants to carry a valid artisan card issued by the competent authority along with a photo identity proof such as an EPIC or Election Card. Food stall applicants must also carry a valid photo identity proof.
A limited number of application forms will be available at the Directorate of Art & Culture, Sanskruti Bhavan, Patto, Panaji, on December 23 and 24, 2025, on a first-come, first-served basis between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm. Duly filled application forms must be submitted to the department on or before December 29, 2025, by 5.30 pm. Late applications will not be entertained. Only one application form will be issued per vendor against a valid artisan card or licence.
