CULTURAL FESTIVALS AND INCOME GENERATION IN IKWERRE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF RIVERS STATE

The study examined the correlates between cultural festivals and income generation inIkwerreLocal Government Area (LGA)of Rivers State. The specific objectives of the study were to;1. determine the relationship between cultural festivals and job creation, 2. Ascertain the relationship between cultural festivals and infrastructural development. The descriptive survey research design adopted the use of questionnaires as the main instrument for primary data collection. The population of the study was very large and unknown. The sample size of 300 was determined using Cochran’s formula for sample size determination from an infinite population. The questionnaire was administered to the residents of two communities (Aluu and Choba) in Ikwerre LGA, Rivers State. The questionnaire was validated through the face and, content validity. The internal consistency of the instrument was excellent (.716) using Chronbach Alpha. The statistical tool for data analyses was  Pearson  Correlation. Major findings showed that festivals had a positive and significant relationship with job creation and infrastructural development in Ikwerre LGA, Rivers  State.   The study concluded that  Ikwerre cultural festival has demonstrated that tourism is a significant major player in job creation and infrastructural development. It was therefore recommended that stakeholders should embrace tourism marketing to enhance the profitability of cultural festivals