Top 25 Fairs and Festivals in India in December 2023
India is a host for almost all the religions of the world. India’s culture thrives with these festivals, fairs and gatherings. In short, the country is a colorful potpourri of celebrations, which result in spirit of harmony. The country literally celebrates everything starting from the beginning of spring to presence of specific full moon.
There is a festival for colors, dance, music, region, language and, over and above everything; there are religious festivals too. Each festival is unique. The locals celebrate each festival in a different manner. Some are quite simple as greeting each other and sharing delicacies, while the others can be quite amusing and entertaining.
Are you visiting India in December? December is the mid of tourism season in India. If you are planning to create a complete vacation out of your visit to India, here is the blog to get started with; Top Places to Visit in India in December. You can find almost all attractions and regions at prime beauty during this month. Apart from these, you can find a list of Top Fairs and Festivals in India in December.
Also Read : December Weather In India
1. Kumbhalgarh Festival
Place of Celebration: Kumbhalgarh Fort Of Udaipur
Date: 1st - 3rd Dec, 2023
This festival is celebrated as a cultural celebration. You can find all kinds of cultural activities during this festival. This festival takes place for three days and each day is unique. As the name indicated, this festival is celebrated near Kumbhalgarh Fort
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Dance and music performances by folk groups
- Art and craft camps and workshops
- Exhibitions, puppet shows and others
Are you planning to visit Udaipur during Kumbhalgarh Festival? Here are the top suggested tour packages, just for you.
Also Read : Top 10 Places to Visit in Udaipur
Other Rajasthan Tours
- 10 days – Rajasthan tour
- 14 days – Rajasthan Agra and Varanasi
- 17 days – Rajasthan Cultural and Wildlife Tour
- 8 Days - Golden Triangle Tour with Udaipur
2. Rann Utsav
Place Of Celebration: Kutch, Gujarat
Date: 10th Nov 2023 - 25th Feb 2023 (Best time to visit is during December, when the attractions will be at prime energy)
Rann of Kutch is the largest salt desert of the country. This festival is celebrated in the desert to express the culture and tradition of the region. You can find all kinds of cultural activities and attractions in the middle of the desert. Tourists and locals venture into the desert, camp together and enjoy these celebrations.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Musical performance, dance performances, story recital and other cultural performances
- Camel riding, horse riding, archery, para-motoring and other adventure activities will be available for people in the desert
- You can enjoy elite feasts during this celebration.
Get Complete Info : Rann Utsav – India’s Biggest White Desert Festival
3. Hornbill Festival
Place of Celebration: Kohima Of Nagaland
Date: 1st - 10th Dec, 2023
This is a mesmerizing festival of Northeastern regions of India. This is a traditional cultural celebration enjoyed by the tribes of the state. This festival focuses on celebrating the local life, heritage, food, art works and others.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Enjoy the traditional war dance performed by the local tribal warriors
- Enjoy Hornbill national rock concert
- Taste their local rice beer
- Visit the night market and buy unique souvenirs
- Car and bike based adventure sports are available for locals and tourists
- Take part in traditional games conducted
- Enjoy the unique headhunting rituals
- Taste the local cuisine during the feast thrown during the festival
Read More : Get Complete Info about the Hornbill Festival
4. Hot Air Balloon Festival
Place of Celebration: Hampi, Bidar and Mysore of Karnataka
Date : Entire month of December. Choose to visit during weekdays to avoid huge crowd.
Not all festivals of the country are related to culture and religion. India also celebrates adventure activities. The best example is Hot air balloon festival. This festival takes place in numerous states. In December, the festival is enjoyed in a grand manner in Karnataka, South India. This festival is all about flying above the land, in a large colorful hot air balloon. If you are into photography, do not forget your DSLR.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Flying in hot air balloons
- Watching hundreds of balloons decorating the regions
- You can find small stalls near the festival region to buy simple toys and basic souvenirs.
Also Read : Hot Air Balloon Rides in Goa – Experience of Lifetime
Suggested Tour : 3 Days - Hampi and Hospet Tour from Bangalore
5. Konark Festival
Place of Celebration : Sun temple of Konark
Date : 1st Dec 2023 to 5th December 2023
Konark Festival started at the end of the 1980s and today, it is one of the contemporary celebrations of Orissa. This festival is celebrated to enhance the awareness and interest in the cultural art forms of the region. Many cultural activities and performances take place in the Natyashala stage of the famous Sun temple. This festival takes place for five days and out of those, three days are dedicated to just dance and music performances. Dancers from around the country take part in this celebration. This is the largest dance festival of Odisha.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Enjoy dance performances of many traditional forms like Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and others
- Musical performances including vocal, violin recital and other instrumental music
- Rajasthani and Odissi folk dance and music celebrations by local artists
6. Feast of Francis Xavier
Place of Celebration: Bom Jesus Basilica of Old Goa
Date: 3rd Dec, every year
This is an annual feast, during which the mummified body of Francis Xavier is kept in display inside the Basilica in Goa. He was one of the Christian missionaries who came to India for spreading the religion. If you take part in the mass, you can learn many interesting anecdotes related to the saint. This festival marks the anniversary of his burial and, a large feast and a fair are conducted.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Special mass
- Rituals and celebrations
- Grand fair and feast for visitors
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Read More : Major Festivals and Events in Goa
7. Perumthitta Tharavad
Place Of Celebration: Kottamkuzhy
Date : Not Available
What is too much color? Well you will understand it in this festival. This is a regional festival of Kerala, which is celebrated with color, grandeur and culture. The main element of this festival is the dance. The dancers coat themselves in paint from head to toe to represent mythological characters. For instance, green color is used by dances who represent God and red is for demon and so on. Moreover, the facial expressions of the dancers are top-notch element of the dance. This dance is called Theyyam, a traditional dance form of Kerala. Do not confuse it with the Theyyam festival of Kerala.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Watching different styles of dance performances
- Unique rituals in the temple
- Cultural music and mime performances
- Ancient dance and music performances by tribal
Also Read : 10 Most Popular Festivals of South India
8. Karthigai Deepam
Place Of Celebration : Several regions of Tamil Nadu; especially the Murugan temples
Date : 26th Nov, 20223
Karthigai Deepam is a spiritual festival, which marks the birth of Lord Murugan, the youngest son of Lord Shiva. According to ancient scriptures, this festival has been in the culture since 200 BC. To celebrate this occasion, Murugan temples around the country would be decorated with earthen lamps, cultural performances, rituals and much more. The locals decorate their houses with hundreds of earthen oil lamps, burst crackers and share delicacies with one another.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Visit any of the Murugan temples to take part in rituals
- Take part in processions where pilgrims carry pots of milk, water or even pierce themselves with small Vel (a spear) as a token of sacrifice.
- Many cultural celebrations including music and dance will be conducted by temples. Kavadiattam and mayilattam (peacock dance) are the top dance forms to enjoy during this festival.
- Visit Thiruvannamalai to watch the largest earthen lamp lit with liters of oil. People walk around Sri Annamalaiar Hill to gain spiritual blessings
- Watch the skies at night as it will be filled with fireworks. Locals celebrate it by bursting the remaining crackers from Diwali (Oct-Nov festival)
- Enjoy local delicacies like kolukattai, payasam and others. Many temples will serve a feast to the visitors during this day.
Suggested Tour :
- 5 Days - South India Pilgrimage Tour
- 7 Days - South India pilgrimage tour (Madurai+ Trichy +Chennai)
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9. Magnetic Fields Festival
Place of Celebration : Alsisar Mahal (venue changes every year)
Date : 15th Dec to 17th Dec 2023
No, this is nothing to do with science or academic activities. This is a talent festival of the Rajasthan. This camping festival takes place for three days and it is open for all budding artists to stage their performances. You can find musical gigs, workshops, buffet, adventure sports and others.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Kite flying competition
- Yoga workshops in the morning
- Treasure hunt, secret parties and other games
- Workshop for music, cooking and other activities
- Camping and stargazing in the desert
- Adventure spots in the desert
10. Jashn-E-Rekhta
Date : 8th Dec to 10th Dec 2023
This is one of recent additions in the list of festivals going to happen in February in India (debut edition took place in 2015). This festival will see celebrations about the poise and finesse of Urdu Language. There will be live discussion sessions, ghazal performances, poetry sessions with some of the most known and respected artists of the country. This festival is a perfect treat for the people who want to know more about Urdu or have already fallen in love with the soulful language. The venue for the festival is Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and prior registration is required but there is no entry fees.
Suggested Tour : 2 Days Delhi Private Tour Package
11. Kurukshetra Festival
Place of Celebration : Haryana
Date : 22nd Dec, 2023
Kurukshetra is the renowned battlefield where the epic Mahabarata battle took place. This is also the place where Bhagavad Gita was recited by Lord Krishna for the first time. To mark this, the Kurukshetra festival is celebrated by pilgrims in Haryana and regions around it. Every activity of this festival revolves around the holy book. Starting from music recital to drama, many cultural activities are performed to stage stories and mythologies of Bhagavad Gita. Many temples host unique rituals during this festival.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Holy dip in Sannehit Sarovar. The holy dip is said to remove earthly sins from the soul.
- Watch religious heads performing recitals and stories revolving around Bhagavad Gita.
- Drama and dance performances take place in the temples
- Free medical camps are conducted around the region
- Book exhibitions are conducted where books related to Bhagavad Gita are sold.
12. Chennai Music Festival
Place Of Celebration: T T Krishnamacari Auditorium, Chennai
Date : Mid Of December To Beginning Of January
This is a cultural festival of Southern India. This festival is all about music and dance performances. You can find performances by renowned artists and by budding talents. You can also find a few drama performances, speeches by top artists and much more. You can find almost all cine music and dance performers in this festival.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Instrumental music performances, vocal music performances and others
- Classical and modern forms of dance performances
- Drama, speeches and others
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13. Galdan Namchot
Place of Celebration: Ladakh (best enjoyed in monasteries)
Date: 7th Dec, 2023
This festival marks Tibetan New Year. It is celebrated in Ladakh, both as New Year and the birthday of Tsongkhapa, Tibetan saint. You can find many activities and attractions in the monasteries during this festival. If you find anyone handing out free scarves during this festival, do not say ‘no’. It is the local tradition to gift scarfs to express their happiness
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Unique rituals
- Exhibitions by monasteries
- Dances and other performances by monks and locals
- Feasts and fairs, which are conducted in different places
Read More : Popular Ladakh Festival and Dates
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14. The Cochin Carnival
Place of Celebration: Cochin
Date : 25th Dec 2023- 1st Jan 2024 (Every Year)
Although not as famous as the carnival of Goa, Cochin Carnival does attract its share of locals and tourists. This is the festival of fun. The main aim of the festival is to bring locals together and it is celebrated during the Christmas holidays (academic holidays) to make more locals participate in it. There is an activity for everyone in this carnival, may it be adventure or music.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Cultural performances, dances and music performances. The iconic performances is the Panchavadyam, a music made with blend of five instruments
- Beach activities like beach bike race, beach volleyball, beach football and others
- Elephant parade and processions
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Also Read : Top 12 Things to do in Kochi (Cochin)
15. Christmas
Place of Celebration: Throughout the country
Date: 25th December, every year
This festival does not need an introduction. Celebrated throughout the country and even worldwide, this is the primary festival of Christians. In India, this festival is celebrated with grandeur in churches and near coastal areas. In many areas, you can find Santa Claus giving gifts to children.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Special mass, cultural performances and programs in churches and communities
- You can find decorated Christmas trees in malls and other public places
- Certain destinations have parades and feasts during Christmas
If you are planning to visit India during Christmas, try to cover as many destinations as possible to enjoy a culturally diverse vacation.
Also Read : Best Places to Celebrate Christmas in India
16. Mamallapuram Dance Festival
Place of Celebration : Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram
Date : 25th Dec 2023 - 15th Jan 2024
Mamallapuram is a historic port city, which is today a heritage land filled with cave sculptures, painting, carvings, inscriptions, and others. This 8th-century city gets a more significant crowd at the end of December for the dance festival. This festival commemorates the dance forms of the country. You can find dancers from around the country take part in the ceremony to perform state dances of the country like Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, and others.
All these celebrations take place near Arjuna’s Penance relief, in an open-air auditorium. The sculptures and caves of the region create a grand background for these dance moves, creating a magical time. Most of the performances take place during the evenings. If you visit during the weekend, you can find many stalls and a much larger crowd.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Watch dancers perform enthralling traditional dance performances
- You can find dance skits explaining mythological stories from Radha-Krishna romantic tale, Mahabharatham, and others.
- You can also catch a few rare forms of folk dances like Kokkali attam, Kavadi, karagam, and others
- Music performance also take part between dance shows
- Many stalls will be erected around the region for souvenir shopping.
Also Read : Top 10 Heritage Sites of South India
Suggested Tour :
- 7 Days – Tamil Nadu Kerala culture tour
- 10 Days – South India Cultural tour
- 22 Days – Tamil Nadu cultural tour
17. Pachmarhi Utsav
Place of Ccelebration : Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh
Date : 25th - 31st Dec, 2023
Pachmarhi is a beautiful hill station in Madhya Pradesh. This place celebrates its nature, culture, and heritage with the Pachmarhi Utsava festival. This is a six-day celebration, which includes art performances, cultural activities, exhibitions, fairs, and others. The nights of the festival are dedicated to music celebrations. The main focus of this festival is to express the cultural beauty of the land. Several stalls will be erected by the government for the sale of handloom products and handicraft items.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Enjoy local art performances including musical recitals, dance, folk art, and others
- Visit the fairgrounds to explore the stalls around the region to buy souvenirs
- Enjoy local tribal foods in the stall like papad, pickles, and others.
- Enjoy international band music performances
- If you are not into buying, visit the exhibition halls to find crafts made with bamboo and many other displays.
Also Read : Top 10 Places to Visit in Madhya Pradesh
Suggested Tour :
- Indian Panorama of Maharajas’ Express luxury train
- 16 Days – Best of India tours
- 10 Days – Golden Triangle with North India temples
- 11 Days – Central India
18. Ranthambore Music and Wildlife Festival
Place of Celebration : Nahargarh, Ranthambore (4 km away from the national park)
Date : 27th & 29th Dec 2023
Ranthambore is famous for its tiger-populated wildlife region. Ranthambore national park is a famous tourist destination, which is included in many luxury train itineraries of Maharajas’ Express, Palace on Wheels and others. The best time to visit the region is during the Ranthambore Music and Wildlife Festival. This festival focuses on the music and cultural elements of the land. The main focus of this festival is to create awareness about safeguarding the wildlife and cultural wealth of Ranthambore by creating a fiesta of wildlife, art, food, and music.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Singular music and music group performances by artists
- Indian folk music performances by locals
- Watch natural experts talk and debate about preserving nature.
- Dance performances by folk dance troops
- Yoga gurus from around the country visit to provide yoga sessions for the participants
- Separate meditation camps are conducted for tourists
- Short wildlife movies are displayed by NAT Geo during the festival
Also Read : Top Reason to Visit Sawai Madhopur Ranthambore
Suggested Tour :
- 13 Days – India Wildlife and Palace tour
- Signature itinerary of Palace on Wheels luxury train
- 13 Days – Wildlife photography tour India
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- 15 Days – North India wildlife cultural tour
19. Sunburn Goa
Place Of Celebration : Goa (in Pune in the past and has returned back to its origin, Goa)
Date : 28th Dec to 31th Dec 2023
Sunburn is the hip festival of Goa revolving around electronic dance music. This festival is the only EDM festival in the continent. Tourists and dance enthusiasts from around 40 countries visit India to celebrate this fiesta. Multiple stages will be erected for numerous artists to perform for the tourists to enjoy. Sunburn is famous for hoisting the continent’s largest ‘cubezoid’ stage for music performances. The list of performing artists varies from year to year and thus, each year, the style and ambiance of the festival are unique. Youngsters in the country are more involved in this festival.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Electronic Dance Music performances from DJs from around the world
- Bonfires at night
- Flea markets for shopping souvenirs
- Helicopter ride, after-fiesta parties, and other attractions
- Many workshops will be conducted by different service providers
Also Read : Major Festivals and Events in Goa
20. Bishnupur Festival
Place of Celebration: Bishnupur
Date: 27th Dec to 31st Dec 2023
This festival is local to West Bengal’s Bishnupur. This festival is celebrated for talents of local artisans. Locals get to showcase their masterpieces and handicrafts in a grand fair conducted by the government. Locals and tourists visit this fair to buy unique articles and to encourage the cottage industry.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Shopping in the grand fair
- Folk dance and music performances
- Top items to buy in the fair are handlooms, Terracotta sculptures, silk sarees, printed textiles and much more.
Also Read : Top Tourist Spots To Visit In West Bengal
21. Kanathoor Nalvar Bhootha Stanam Theyyam
Place of Celebration : Kanathoor Nalvar Bhoothasthanam, Kasargod
Date : Shifted in Feb
This festival is a tribute to Theyyam, one of the most complicated dance forms of all. This festival of Theyyam is celebrated in Kanathoor Nalvar Bhoothasthanam. The deity of this temple is considered as the mother of the Theyyam art. The best part about this festival is the colorful dresses and decorations of the dancers.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Take part in rituals and celebrated inside the temple
- Watch trained dancers performing Theyyam
- Enjoy traditional music performances
- Visit the stalls around the temple to find religious souvenirs
- Take part in spiritual processions, where the deity is taken around the region for the locals to watch and pay tributes
Also Read : Know About the Traditional Dances of Kerala
22. Rajasthan Winter Festival
Place Of Celebration: Mount Abu
Time Of Celebration: 29th - 31st Dec, 2023
Celebrated in Rajasthan, this is a colorful festival to relish in this state. The main element of this festival is a large fair for local artisans to showcase their works. In addition, you can find many cultural activities and attractions during this festival. If you want an adventure time, this is the right festival to take part. Take the 16 days – Rajasthan, Mumbai From Delhi tour to cover Mount Abu, right in time for the festival.
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Gair, Ghoomar, Daph and other dance performances
- Music performances
- Boating and rowing races takes place in the Nakki Lake
- Fireworks at night
- Kite flying contest
- Fair conducted for handicrafts and handlooms
Do not just end your vacation with the festival alone. Explore Mount Abu to have a complete vacation.
Also Read : Top Attractions Not in Miss in Mount Abu
23. Himachal Hills Festival
Place of Celebration : Nature Park, Kasol, Himachal Pradesh
Date : 30th – 31st Dec, 2023
This is the camping and music festival for those who are into the cultural fiesta mood in Himachal. This is the New Year’s celebration, which is celebrated for two days. The festival is celebrated in a beautiful hill region, where dance, music and other attractions are conducted for a hip time. This festival takes place only in the evening, after 4:30 pm. The cuisine of this festival is authentic local Himachal cuisine and Israeli cuisine. This festival is a fusion of nature and music. Tourists camp in the region for two days to celebrate the festival. The music performances are mostly EDM, Rock, and other hipster styles.
Unique attractions and activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Stay in luxurious tents or basic camping to enjoy a starry night
- Enjoy live band performances, DJ nights and other music celebrations
- Live gigs are conducted from time to time
- Enjoy the local folk dance form, Nati.
- Enjoy nighttime with bonfire and music
- Explore the food stalls and shops to enjoy delicacies and buy souvenirs
Also Read : Top 15 Offbeat Places to Visit in Himachal Pradesh
Suggested Tour :
- 6 Days – Shimla Manali tour packages
- 8 Days – Himachal hill station tour
- 15 Days – Golden Triangle with Himachal tour
24. New Year Eve
Place of Celebration: Throughout the country
Date: 31st December (Every Year)
This is the end of the year. This festival is celebrated throughout the country in different manner, based on the level of luxury you are looking forward. You can find grand feasts, music parties, dance parties and even alcohol fiesta in many pubs and restaurants. In the temples, you can find unique rituals for the well-being of devotees during the upcoming year. If you desire, you can also take part in any home parties, which are conducted at specific places
Unique Attractions and Activities to enjoy during the festival:
- Dance, music and other celebrations
- Rituals, traditional dance and other performances in temples, Churches and other religious spots
- Buffets in many restaurants
- Rock music, open air concert and many night parties in pubs
Also Read : 20 Best Places to Visit in New Year in India
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