Mangaluru: The annual beach festival at Panambur got off to a cultural start on Friday. The annual event, ahead of new year, is set to offer a perfect combination with an array of events lined up till January 1.

Namratha P R belted out ‘Kehna hai kya..’ a chartbuster song from ‘Bombay’, setting the mood for the day. She was participating in the solo singing competition organised during the festival.

Ashwathnarayan from Kulai rendered the title song of ‘Ashwamedha’, a Kannada film, originally sung by thespian actor Dr Rajkumar. It was a Konkani song from Jasmine D’Souza that struck the right chord with the gathering who swooned as she went on to sing in style.

Budding singers belted out songs from different languages including an Assamese song by a Mangalurean. The event was followed by group singing and group dancing contests with dance troupes from different parts of the city taking part in the contests.

Earlier, Assistant Commissioner Renuka Prasad inaugurated the festival by flying a kite adorned with a banner of the festival.

Beach volleyball, a game associated with water, saw as many as 12 teams who played each other in the morning followed by the opening of a food festival, said Yatish Baikampady chief executive officer of Panambur Beach Development Organisation.

New year’s eve on Saturday promises a volley of entertainment with a musical nite involving popular local artistes, environment-friendly crackers in the form of ‘electrical crackers’ which will be the special attraction apart from night flying of kites with lights.

As a precautionary measure, entry will be free up to 9 pm while gates will be closed later. Skating has been arranged at Nandaneshwara temple premises followed by stand-up saddling where participants will be rowing and surfing boats.

An exclusive Panambur Surfing Club will also be launched with 30 children in different age groups being trained for the purpose. On January 1, an estimated 1,000 enthusiasts will demonstrate patanjali yogasana, Baikampady said.