Onam week celebrations end on August 30; VP marks the closing day parade

After showcasing the rhythm and elegance of Kerala’s classical, folk and ethnic art traditions to a larger audience, the Onam Tourism Week celebrations here on Sunday (August 30, 2026) will conclude with an iconic closing day parade.

Vice President (VP) of India CP Radhakrishnan will flag off the procession at 5 pm from Lok Bhavan.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister VD Satheesan, Tourism Minister PC Vishnunadh, Health Minister K Muraleedharan and Transport Minister CP John will attend the ceremony, according to an official statement on Saturday.

The procession will pass through the heart of the city covering Vellayambalam, the museum, the Palayam and the statue before ending at the East Fort.

The parade will feature around 69 floats and installations of various government departments to showcase the growth of Kerala as a society, its traditions and culture and socially relevant issues.

Around 99 art forms rooted in various cultural identities will also be part of the parade.

Traditional folk art forms including Pulikali, Garudan Parava and Muthappan Theyyam will be presented in the parade as part of the traditional art forms of Kerala.

Artistic performances from Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Telangana will add color and flair to the spectacular pageant. The parade also includes performances by the transgender community.

There will be traffic restrictions in the city on Sunday due to the parade.

Meanwhile, the police said on Saturday that the airspace within one kilometer of Lok Bhavan has been declared a red zone in view of the Vice President’s visit to the state.

Published – 29 Aug 2026 20:57 IST