Top 12 Summer Festivals In India You Shouldn’t Miss Out On! (2023)

Music, Sun, sea, colorful clothes, folk dance, and happy faces—summer doesn’t only bring scorching heat in India, but a lot of lively festivals that make the whole country rejoice. Summer festivals in India paint the country with a million vibrant colors that attract thousands of tourists from all over the world.

The following list of summer festivals in India tells you about some popular ones celebrated during the summer season in India. While some festivals celebrate the culture of different regions, others let you get immersed in religious colors.

12 Best Summer Festivals In India

Before you read ahead, here is a list of summer festivals in India with dates in the year 2022 for each festival featured in this blog! So, get ready for a smooth and thrilling vacay like never before!

• Gangaur – 18th March – 4th April
• Baisakhi – 14th April
• Chithirai Festival – 3rd – 19th May
• Moatsu Festival– May
• Mount Abu Summer Festival – 17th and 18th May
• Ooty Flower Festival – TBA
• Yercaud Summer Festival –May
• Shimla Summer Festival – 1st – 9th June
• Sikkim Summer Festival – NA
• Hemis Festival – 4th July to 16th July
• Kollam Pooram – NA
• Pahela Baishakh – 15th April

1. Gangaur – 18th March – 4th April

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Gangaur is one of the most iconic summer festivals in India, celebrated in various parts of Rajasthan, particularly in Jaipur. Amongst all the festivals of Rajasthan, Gangaur is considered the most important one. It commences on the day following Holi and witnesses devotees worshipping Goddess Gauri with magnificent passion and spectacular grandeur for 16-18 days. If you happen to be in Rajasthan during Gangaur, experience the splendid processions, Rajasthani folk music, dance, puppet shows, sumptuous food stalls, and astounding fireworks.

Where: Rajasthan
Key Attractions Of Gangaur: Puppet show and folk dances like Kalbelia Dance
Dates For Gangaur 2022: 18th March – 4th April

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2. Baisakhi– 14th April

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Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is one the most colorful festivals celebrated in summer season in India. The Punjabi community celebrates this festival to mark the new year by harvesting rabi crops. The farmers wear new colorful dresses, cook delicious food, and honor this new beginning with traditional dance and music, enacting farming stages, wrestling, and fairs. Sikhs celebrate Baisakhi as a collective birthday of the “Khalsa Brotherhood” created by the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh in the year 1699. The people of Sikh community celebrate this auspicious occasion with holy prayer, cooking Kara prasad or sweetened semolina and langar (community lunch).

Where: Punjab and Haryana
Key Attractions Of Baisakhi: Bhangra and Gidda dance
Dates For Baisakhi In 2022: 14th April

Suggested Read: 36 Most Famous Festivals Of India You Must Experience

3. Chithirai Festival – 3rd – 19th May

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Chithirai is one of the most amazing religious festivals of south India, held in Meenakshi Temple of Madurai. Pulling of golden chariot with idols, drum beats, offering of sweets, and flowers incense sticks are the major highlights of this festival. A grand fair is also organized for 10 days to celebrate Chithirai. This surely makes it one of the most interesting festivals in India during summer.

Where: Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Key Attractions Of Chithirai: Re-enacting of the wedding of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar
Dates For Chithirai 2022: 3rd – 19th May

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4. Moatsu Festival– May

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The Moatsu festival is celebrated for 3 days in the first week of May. The main purpose of this festival is to bring joy, fun, and excitement in the tribe community after stressful activities like clearing fields, burning the jungles, sowing seeds, clearing the wells, and repairing houses. The Ao Naga tribal communities celebrate Moatsu festival with renewed enthusiasm and happiness. In fact, it is one of the most fun festivals in summer season in India, celebrated with folk music, tribal dance, eating and drinking.

Where: Nagaland
Key Attractions Of Moatsu festival: Sangpangtu, which is a significant part of Moatsu where a huge fire is lit and women serve meat and wine to the men and kids sitting around the fire.
Dates For Moatsu Festival In 2022: May

Suggested Read: 15 Festivals In November In India That Call For An Early Winter Vacay

5. Mount Abu Summer Festival – 17th and 18th May

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Against the backdrop of rugged mountains and sparkling Nakki lake, the summer festival of Mount Abu is a heaven for music lovers. Organized by Rajasthan Tourism Department, it is one of the most talked-about cultural festivals in summer season in India. It is a 2 day fiesta that features a traditional rally around Nakki Lake, performances of folk dances, music, puppet show, magic shows, tug of war, boat race, Matka race, and exquisite fireworks.

Where: Mount Abu, Rajasthan
Key Attractions Of Mount Abu Summer Festival: Gair and Ghoomar dance performances and Sham-e-Qawwali
Dates For Mount Abu Summer Festival 2022: 17th and 18th May

6. Ooty Flower Festival – NA

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Also known as Ooty Flower Festival, this is one of the popular seasonal festivals of India, particularly in the Nilgiris. Summer is the peak season in Ooty and the fiesta enhances the charm of the place. Along with the stunning flower show, the celebration features variety of spectacular events like fairs, fruit, art exhibitions, and adventure activities like trekking.

Where: Ooty, Tamil Nadu
Key Attractions Of Ooty Summer Festival: Flower show at Ooty Botanical Garden with more than 150 varieties of flowers from different countries, flower rangolis, floral arrangements and vegetable carvings.
Dates For Ooty Flower Festival 2022: TBA

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7. Yercaud Summer Festival – May

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Summer Festival is the most talked about event in Yercaud which runs for 3 days. Flower shows, dog shows, horse riding, folk dance performances, cooking, and rangoli competitions are the prime highlights of the festival. So, while you’re looking for a fun festival to experience the best of summer vibes around, make sure you visit this one for a tour of the best carnival vibes!

Where: Yercaud, Tamil Nadu
Key Attractions Of Yercaud Summer Festival: Floral arrangements using one lakh flowers by Horticulture Department
Dates For Yercaud Summer Festival 2022: May

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8. Shimla Summer Festival – 1st – 9th June

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Shimla organizes this festival to mark the advent of soothing summer in this spectacular hill station and to allure tourists. If you have chosen Shimla for summer holidays, be a part of this festival and enjoy the various exhibitions of local handicrafts, family games, ice skating shows, food exhibitions, flower shows, photography contests, poster making competitions and live theater. Live performances by amateur and renowned artists from different countries are definitely the showstopper of this summer season festival in India. While you’re out and about in Shimla, make sure you don’t miss out on one of the most beautiful festivals during summer season in India!

Where: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Key Attractions Of Shimla Summer Festival: Himachali Film festival
Dates For Shimla Summer Festival 2022: 1st – 9th June

Suggested Read:

9. Sikkim Summer Festival – NA

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Unlike other festivals celebrated in summer season in India, Sikkim Summer Festival is a month-long celebration. It features entertaining cultural shows, local food festivals, white water rafting in Teesta, Sikkimese folk dances, showcase of films on Sikkim tourism, local handicrafts exhibitions and stunning flower shows displaying orchids, rhododendrons and primulas. So, are you ready to enjoy one of the most glorious Indian summer festivals yet?

Where: Gangtok, Sikkim
Key Attractions Of Sikkim Summer Festival: Thrilling yak safari in the outskirts of Gangtok
Dates For Sikkim Summer Festival 2022: NA

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10. Hemis Festival – 4th July to 16th July

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In the list of summer festivals of India, Hemis is a popular festival celebrated in Hemis monastery in Ladakh. This cultural merriment is celebrated with huge grandeur and the lamas wear fine silk apparels and masks and perform dances to represent the marvelous achievements of Padmasambhava–Indian Buddhist master of 8th-century. The festival is celebrated for 2 days and ends with a sacrificial offering on the second day.

Where: Hemis Monastery, Ladakh
Key Attractions Of Hemis Festival: Mask dances by lamas of Hemis Monastery
Dates For Hemis Festival 2022: 4th July to 16th July

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11. Kollam Pooram –NA

Image Credit: Pranav Mohan for Wikimedia Commons

If you are visiting Kerala in April, then you must attend the Kollam Pooram Festival that is held every year. Organized at Asramam Maidan, Kollam Pooram attracts a lot of travelers. Dedicated to Lord Krishnaswamy, this festival is celebrated grandly at Sri Krishnaswamy Temple in Kollam. The priests perform rituals and the temple is decorated with fresh flowers. For witnessing the traditions and culture of Kerala you should attend this festival on your vacay.

Where: Kerala
Key Attractions Of Kollam Pooram: folk dances
Dates For Kollam Pooram 2022: NA

12. Pahela Baishakh – 15th April

Image Credit: Abidhasan for Wikimedia Commons

Celebrated on 15th April every year in West Bengal, Pahela Baishakh is the first day in the Bengali Calendar. Pahela Baishakh is known as Bengali New Year and is an eminent festival for the locals. Fairs and rallies are organized and the streets are crowded with people dancing and enjoying the festivities. Become a part of the New Year celebrations in West Bengal by heading to Kolkata and get a closer look at the traditions of the locals.

Where: West Bengal
Key Attractions Of Pahela Baishakh: Fairs, rallies, and dance performances
Dates For Pahela Baishakh 2022: 15th April 2022

Further Read: 12 Festivals Of Ladakh That Celebrate The Life In The Valley

We hope this complete list of summer festivals celebrated in different states of India helps you decide where do you want to travel this summer. Plan a soothing trip to India that’ll help you plan your trip better. So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and plan that trip you’ve been wanting to go from a very long time!

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