Rajasthan is known for its culture, royal past, and strong traditions. The best time to feel its energy is during the festivals. These events fill the streets with color, music, and excitement. Locals and visitors come together to celebrate. It’s a great chance to see how people live, enjoy local customs, and be part of something lively and real.
Summers in Rajasthan can be very hot, but they also offer a different way to enjoy the state’s culture. During this time, many cultural events take place. You’ll see folk artists performing traditional music and dance in bright, colorful clothes. These performances bring a lot of energy and give visitors a closer look at Rajasthan’s rich traditions.
Summer is a great time to try Rajasthan’s tasty food and traditional sweets. The season comes with festivals and local fairs, where you can enjoy regional dishes while being part of the celebrations. It’s the perfect mix of flavors, music, and culture all in one place.
Most Popular Festivals of Rajasthan
International Kite Festival
The Jodhpur International Desert Kite Festival will be held from January 8 to 14, 2025, at the Polo Ground in Jodhpur. It celebrates Makar Sankranti in a big way. While this harvest festival is marked in many ways across India, Rajasthan adds its own twist with colorful kite-flying. The sky fills with kites, and the energy is high, making it one of the main highlights of the festival.
Jodhpur takes the festival to the next level by launching kites from helicopters, filling the sky with a burst of color. Hundreds of kites fly at once, creating an amazing view. Kids join the fun by releasing bunches of balloons, adding even more joy to the celebration.
This festival isn’t just about flying kites—it’s about people coming together. Friendly contests, music, and a cheerful vibe make it a fun experience for everyone. With bright skies and high spirits, the Jodhpur International Desert Kite Festival is a great event for both locals and visitors. It’s a perfect example of how lively and colorful Rajasthan’s festivals can be.
Bikaner Camel Festival
The Bikaner Camel Festival will be held from January 13 to 15, 2025, at Karni Singh Stadium in Bikaner. This colorful two-day event celebrates the important role camels play in Rajasthan. Like other camel fairs in the state, it features races, fun games, and even camel beauty contests, all showing the strength and charm of these unique animals.
There’s more to the festival than just camels. Visitors can enjoy folk music, dance shows, and displays of traditional art that reflect Rajasthan’s rich culture. The fairground stays busy with stalls selling souvenirs and vendors offering local snacks and sweets. Each day ends with a stunning fireworks show that lights up the desert sky.
Jaipur Literature Festival
The Jaipur Literature Festival will be held from January 30 to February 3, 2025, at Hotel Clarks Amer in Jaipur. It’s known as the world’s largest free literary event. Unlike Rajasthan’s folk and cultural festivals, this one focuses on books and ideas. It brings together Nobel Prize winners, Booker Prize authors, rising writers, and well-known names from around the world.
Over five days, the festival offers book readings, panel talks, debates, and seminars on a wide range of topics. There are also plenty of book stalls where people can browse and buy titles from different genres. The Jaipur Literature Festival is one of Rajasthan’s most well-known events, drawing book lovers and thinkers from around the world with its engaging sessions and lively setting.
Jaisalmer Desert Festival
The Jaisalmer Desert Festival will be held from February 22 to 24, 2025, at the Sam Dunes near Jaisalmer. This lively three-day event celebrates the spirit of desert life in Rajasthan. It features a mix of contests, cultural performances, and traditional activities that give visitors a real feel of the region’s heritage.
Visitors can look forward to fun events like the mustache competition, the Mr. Desert contest, folk music and dance shows, acrobatic acts, and puppet performances. The fairground buzzes with food stalls and shops selling handmade crafts and local treats. Set against the golden sand dunes, the Jaisalmer Desert Festival blends culture, entertainment, and the stunning views of the Thar Desert into one unforgettable experience.
Sacred Festival
The Sacred Festival will take place from February 14 to 26, 2025, at Jaipur Ghat in Pushkar. Known for its spiritual atmosphere, Pushkar hosts this event to bring musicians together in a celebration of peace and devotion. It’s a unique mix of music and faith, set in one of Rajasthan’s most sacred towns.
The festival features soulful music, wellness sessions, heritage walks, and hands-on workshops. Near Jaipur Ghat, a lively market offers souvenirs, local food, and handmade crafts. As one of Rajasthan’s standout festivals, the Sacred Festival is all about refreshing the mind and spirit while giving visitors a meaningful cultural experience.
Nagaur Camel Fair
The Nagaur Cattle Fair will be held from February 3 to 4, 2025, in Nagaur, near Jodhpur. It’s one of the biggest livestock fairs in Rajasthan, second only to the Pushkar Camel Fair. Each year, more than two lakh people—including traders, buyers, and tourists—gather to take part in this energetic and colorful event.
The fair isn’t just about cattle trading. It also includes animal races, cockfights, tug-of-war, beauty contests for animals, and performances of traditional music and dance. As one of Rajasthan’s well-known festivals, it creates a lively space where traders and visitors enjoy both business and culture. In the evenings, the mood turns festive with folk music and dancing. Many tourists choose to stay overnight to watch the traders getting their animals ready for the next day.
The fairground is great for shopping, with stalls selling souvenirs, spices, local snacks, and handmade crafts. It gives visitors a real taste of Rajasthan’s rural life and charm.
Baneshwar Festival
The Baneshwar Festival will take place from February 8 to 12, 2025, in Baneshwar. It’s a tribal celebration dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The event blends religious rituals with colorful cultural activities, creating a unique mix of devotion and festivity.
The festival includes tribal fairs, processions, acrobatic acts, animal shows, magic performances, and traditional music and dance. A night procession adds to the charm and energy of the event. In the past, there were two separate fairs—one for each deity—but now they’ve come together as one big celebration.
This festival is an important cultural event in Rajasthan, attracting both pilgrims and tourists every year.
World Sufi Spirit Festival
The World Sufi Spirit Festival will be held from February 14 to 16, 2025, at Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur. This global event celebrates Sufi music and spiritual traditions. Artists from Mongolia, Italy, Africa, Afghanistan, and across India come together to create a powerful and moving cultural experience.
The festival features soulful Sufi music, dance performances, deep discussions, and seminars focused on the wisdom of Sufism. As one of Rajasthan’s most unique festivals, it brings together history, spirituality, and art. With the stunning Mehrangarh Fort as the backdrop—and some performances held at Nagaur Fort—the setting adds to the magic of the experience.
Summer and Winter festivals of Mount Abu
Mount Abu, the only hill station in Rajasthan, turns festive during the Summer Festival from May 10 to 12, 2025. Over three days, the town hosts folk dances, music shows, colorful parades, and fun competitions. Held at Nakki Lake and Polo Ground, the event draws both locals and tourists, giving everyone a chance to enjoy the region’s culture in a scenic setting.
During the festival, stalls line the area with handicrafts, souvenirs, and local treats. As night sets in, the fairground lights up with a grand fireworks show, creating a stunning view over the hills. Whether you’re watching traditional performances or browsing the busy markets, the Summer Festival offers a lively experience set against the peaceful backdrop of Mount Abu.
Mewar Festival
The Mewar Festival is one of Udaipur’s most colorful and traditional celebrations, held to welcome the arrival of spring. Taking place from March 31 to April 1, 2025, the city comes alive as people decorate their homes and dress in traditional clothes, adding to the festive mood all around.
One of the main highlights is the grand procession that moves through Udaipur’s streets, where beautifully decorated idols are carried on people’s heads. The city buzzes with folk music, dance, and festive energy, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere. The Mewar Festival is deeply rooted in local tradition and gives visitors a real look at Rajasthan’s cultural pride and strong sense of community.
Gangaur Festival
During the Gangaur Festival, women wear traditional outfits and carry beautifully decorated clay idols of Goddess Parvati in colorful processions through the streets. The celebration includes folk music, dance performances, and local fairs, filling the air with joy and excitement. As one of Rajasthan’s most cherished traditions, Gangaur reflects the region’s deep cultural roots and strong sense of devotion.
The grand procession is a stunning sight, led by elephants, chariots, and palanquins as devotees carry beautifully adorned idols through the streets. As one of Rajasthan’s treasured festivals, it brings people together through traditional dance, music, and shared celebration. The festival ends with a vibrant fireworks show, symbolizing the arrival of Goddess Parvati on Earth.
Brij Holi Festival
The Brij Holi Festival will be celebrated on March 14, 2025, in Bharatpur, just before the main festival of Holi. Dedicated to Lord Krishna and Radha, the event features locals dressed as the divine couple, taking part in energetic music, dance, and cultural performances that tell their timeless love story.
As the day goes on, the celebration becomes even more lively, with people playing joyfully with colors, just like during Holi. The streets of Brij in Bharatpur come alive with devotional songs, colorful gatherings, and traditional festivities, making it one of the most memorable events in Rajasthan’s cultural calendar.
Rajasthan International Folk Festival
The Rajasthan International Folk Festival was started to celebrate and protect the state’s rich traditions of folk music and dance. This year, it will be held from October 2 to 6, 2025, during Sharad Purnima—the brightest full moon night of the year. Music is at the heart of the festival, with more than 200 artists from around the world coming together for a truly special experience. Set against the backdrop of the majestic Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, the event also includes poetry readings, cultural programs, and lively stalls with local crafts and food.
Teej Festival
Teej is one of the most lively Hindu festivals in Rajasthan, especially celebrated in Jaipur and nearby regions. In 2025, it will be observed on July 27. Dedicated to the well-being of husbands, the festival also marks the arrival of the monsoon. Women dress in bright traditional clothes, sing folk songs, dance, and enjoy swings hung under trees, adding to the joyful atmosphere.
The day holds special meaning in Hindu mythology, as it marks the reunion of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. One of the main highlights is the grand procession of Goddess Parvati, where women carry beautifully decorated idols on their heads or in palanquins, moving through the streets with music and dance. Markets come alive with stalls selling souvenirs, festive snacks, and sweets. Malpua and Ghewar—two popular Rajasthani treats—are especially loved during this time.
Pushkar Camel Fair
The Pushkar Camel Fair, happening from October 30 to November 5, 2025, is India’s biggest camel trading event. Held at the Pushkar Fairground in Rajasthan, this five-day festival brings together culture, tradition, and fun. Traders from across the region gather to buy and sell camels, while visitors enjoy folk music, dance shows, puppet performances, and unique competitions.
The fairground is full of energy, with stalls selling handicrafts, souvenirs, and local snacks—including special items made from camel milk. Many travelers choose to camp at the site, enjoying the festive vibe with bonfires, music, and dance alongside locals and traders.
Kota Adventure Festival
The Kota Adventure Festival, also known as the Kota Festival, is a must-visit for adventure lovers. Held in Kota, Rajasthan, this week-long event is packed with outdoor activities like rock climbing, kayaking, windsurfing, angling, rafting, parasailing, trekking, and rural tours.
For water sports, visitors head to the Chambal River, while high-altitude activities take place around Kishore Sagar Talab. As one of Rajasthan’s more action-packed festivals, it draws thrill-seekers from near and far. Many adventure service providers offer custom activity packages. While the exact dates for the 2025 edition are yet to be announced, the festival remains a big attraction for those looking to explore Rajasthan beyond palaces and temples.
Chandrabhaga Fair
The Chandrabhaga Fair is both a religious and cattle festival held in Jhalrapatan, Jhalawar, during October or November (dates for 2025 are yet to be confirmed). Celebrated along the banks of the holy Chandrabhaga River, the fair draws thousands of pilgrims who take a sacred dip, believing it brings spiritual blessings.
After the rituals, the event turns into a lively cattle fair with camel trading, folk music, dance performances, and cultural shows. The mix of devotion and celebration creates a unique atmosphere, making the Chandrabhaga Fair an important part of Rajasthan’s festival calendar.
Bundi Utsav
Bundi Utsav, also known as the Bundi Festival, will take place from November 18 to 20, 2025, in the town of Bundi, Rajasthan. This cultural celebration highlights the region’s rich traditions with folk music, dance, and fun competitions like the mustache contest and turban weaving.
Visitors can enjoy water sports, races, and traditional games throughout the festival. One of the main attractions is the Shobha Yatra—a grand procession that brings Bundi’s local culture to life. A vibrant fairground adds to the festive feel, with stalls offering souvenirs, Rajasthani food, and handmade crafts. It’s an exciting event that gives both locals and tourists a true taste of Bundi’s charm.
Kumbhalgarh Festival
The Kumbhalgarh Festival is a three-day cultural event held at the historic Kumbhalgarh Fort from December 1 to 3, 2025. Started by Maharana Kumbha, the festival celebrates Rajasthan’s rich art, music, and heritage.
During the festival, the fort is beautifully lit, showing off its detailed artwork, chandeliers, and grand architecture. Each day features a different theme with art exhibitions, live performances, and various competitions. Visitors can enjoy traditional folk dances like Langas, Kalbeliyas, Kachi, and Odissi, along with music by well-known artists.
The festival brings together artisans, performers, and travelers from around the world, making it one of Rajasthan’s most important cultural celebrations.
Kolayat Festival
The Kolayat Festival is a traditional fair held near Kolayat Lake, celebrating the region’s craft and artistic heritage. It begins with a holy dip in the lake, which many believe washes away worldly sins.
During the festival, the ghats around the lake are beautifully decorated, and different rituals are performed at each one. The area comes alive with stalls selling souvenirs, handmade crafts, and local treats, making the Kolayat Festival both a spiritual and cultural experience for visitors.
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