More than 20,000 people are expected to join the festivities for the Patong Carnival this year, which gets underway on November 1.

The three-day event will maintain its traditional full schedule of entertainment, displays and activities people to take part in, Patong Mayor Chalermluck Kebsup told a press conference last weekend.

“But for first time we the Patong Carnival and the Patong Seafood Festival will be held at the same time, so people will have much to enjoy,” she said.

“All the parades and cultural shows will still be part of the festival, but the big attraction will be the Seafood Festival. This year is the 30th year of the carnival, and we want to bring something new and exciting to the event, and this year we will deliver more creativity. We hope to push our city to the next level and generate creative tourism in the Patong area.”

Phuket Vice Governor Dr Prajiad Aksornthammakul, who was also at the press conference, said, “The Patong Canival is held around this time every year to signal that we are entering the [tourism] high season and to welcome tourists from all over the world.

“We are very happy to present the Seafood Festival this year so people can enjoy the great variety of food Patong has to offer. This is another way of attracting more tourists to the area and bringing new markets and new customers.”

The focus area of the Seafood Festival will be Bangla Rd, Soi Post Office (Soi Praisanee) and Soi Dr Wattana, the latter two of which join the beach road, Mayor Chalermluck explained.

All the activities and attractions in the two festivals combined will be allocated into different zones, she added.

“First up, the Entertainment Zone will be packed with all sorts of performances, including live music and cultural shows,” Mayor Chalermluck said.

“There will also be a stage presentations of local seafood, as well as presentations highlighting the plight of endangered marine animals and marine environmental protection and conservation.”

The “Global Tastes Seafood Zone” will feature international food with seafood, while the “Local Way Zone” will be dedicated to street food and local cuisine.

“The Thai Seafood Sensation Zone will offer Thai food with seafood as the main ingredient, and the Asian Seafood Zone will have all sorts of dishes from Japan, Vietnam, Korea, India and China.

“And, of course, there will be the Bangla Rd Zone, which will feature street art and an exhibition relating the history and cultural heritage of Patong,” said Mayor Chalermluck, who is a native of the popular resort town.

“At this zone you will have the chance to view rare photographs of Patong in the old days, photographs of our forefathers and their way of life, their customs and beautiful costumes,” she said.

The annual parade, renowned for its stunning costumes and floats, will begin at 4:30pm on November 1, starting from on Phang Muang Sai Kor Rd , snaking its way right onto Prachanukroh Rd, right again onto Thaweewong Rd (the beach road) and finally right onto Bangla Rd.

All live entertainment during the festival will be performed on stages at the beach end of Bangla Rd.

The full programme of events for the festival has yet to be set, The Phuket News was told today (Oct 13).

“But we expect to announce the full programme in the next few days,” one representative from the festival organiser said.