A pilot project to establish a tourist-focused night market in Kandy, themed “Kandy Breeze Night Fest – We Light Up the City,” was launched on August 16.
The accompanying night market will be held on August 23 and 30, as well as September 6, from 7 p.m. to midnight, along Dalada Veediya and Kotugodella Veediya.
Organizers said the initiative seeks to transform Kandy—long considered a quiet city after nightfall—into a lively tourist hub.
Speaking at the launch, Central Province Governor Professor Sarath Abeykoon said the program aims to make Kandy “a city that never sleeps,” while boosting tourism and supporting small-scale businesses. He added that the project intends not only to retain foreign tourists, but also to create opportunities for local entrepreneurs to sell their products at better prices.
The program has received support from the Central Provincial Council, the Regional Economic Development Agency, the Kandy Municipal Council, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the Kandy Police, and several transport and business institutions.
The launch event was attended by Deputy Ministers Dr. Prasanna Gunasena and Dr. Hansaka Wijayamuni, MP Thanura Dissanayake, Regional Economic Development Agency Chairman Ananda Stephen, CINESTA Foundation Chairman Jayantha Dharmadasa, and a group of veteran artists.
Governor Abeykoon said the pilot project will initially run on Saturdays, with the number of days to be expanded depending on the response from residents and tourists.
