the goan I network
MARGAO
Easter celebrations ushers in the resumption of entertainment activities across the State after the 40-day Lenten season, be it weddings, parties, musical evenings, programmes et al.
With the State under lockdown, mass gatherings being discouraged and social distancing becoming a norm now than an exception, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the local entertainment sector, affecting hundreds, if not thousands of people dependent on the business.
With no sign of the battle against Coronavirus coming to an early end, weddings are either being postponed or re-scheduled, leaving the stakeholders in a tizzy, right from musicians and decorators, photographers and videographers, sound operators, magicians, comperes, and not to mention big time operators such as the caterers, dance floor owner, restaurants etc.
With weddings being postponed or rescheduled, all these stakeholders have received calls for cancellation of the bookings for halls and dance floors, music bands etc.
Says musician Agnelo Fernandes: “The COVID-19 pandemic has hit hard the entertainment industry. The music bands have received messages from the parties about the postponement of weddings or other programmes”.
Sources in the know say some of the weddings have been postponed to December, while some have preferred to reschedule their receptions to this time of the year next May.
An owner of an open dance floor informed that several parties have got bookings cancelled this season.
“Many have got the bookings for the halls and open air floors cancelled, not knowing what the future lies in store with no drug found to tackle the virus”, a hall owner informed.
A stakeholder informed that apart from playing for wedding and dances, musicians used to eke a living by performing at the restaurants on certain days, including the weekends.
A leading compere told The Goan that the COVID-19 has come at a time when the industry was looking forward to a new season before the monsoons. “The entertainment sector comes to a brief halt during the Lenten season, before the activities resume after Easter Sunday. We always look forward for the period between Easter and the onset of monsoons. This time, the COVID-19 pandemic has played spoilsport”, the compere added.
