India’s festival season is here. From late-2025 through end-2026, the calendar fills with eco-conscious gatherings, indie retreats, global headliners, heavy-metal rituals and vineyard sessions across the country.
Here’s your guide:
1. Echoes of Earth (Bengaluru)
As India’s pioneering “greenest circular” festival, Echoes of Earth has established itself as an annual December fixture at Bengaluru’s Embassy International Riding School. The 2025 edition, to be held on 13-14 December, once again demonstrates its commitment to sustainability through massive art installations crafted entirely from recycled materials, while celebrating a new ecological theme. The festival’s reputation for programming international acts and local talent for artist discovery, established through previous headliners like Mount Kimbie, French 79, Yussef Dayes, etc and Indian performers such as The F16s, continues with Monolink and Bedouin on this year’s lineup, cementing its position as a model for environmentally conscious music festivals heading into 2026.
2. Bandland (Bengaluru)
Rock and alternative music take centre stage at Bandland, which is slated for 14-15 February 2026 at NICE Grounds, Bengaluru. This edition promises a monumental experience with the Indian debut of two globally celebrated headliners: the stadium-rock giants Muse and the Grammy-winning pop-rock band Train. The festival is a high-energy spectacle, also featuring Australian progressive rock titans Karnivool, Indian metal legends Scribe, and international rock outfits like Pinkshift and James and the Cold Gun, establishing it as the premier rock festival in the subcontinent.
3. Ziro Festival of Music (Arunachal Pradesh)
Set in the breathtaking, lush Ziro Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, this four-day festival usually runs in September. Ziro is India’s most beloved pilgrimage for indie music lovers. It is a festival where bamboo stages rise against rolling paddy fields and the Apatani community hosts thousands with warmth, possibly the most peaceful and hippie-like of the lot here.
The curation is meticulous: handpicked indie, folk, experimental and cross-cultural acts from across India and the world. Camping completes the experience — cold starry nights, bonfire conversations, local rice beer, smoked meats, and long morning walks through the valley. Ziro is the dreamiest of the lot.
4. Bangalore Open Air (BOA)
For over a decade, Bangalore Open Air has been the heart of India’s metal underground. It’s loud, drenched in sweat and reverb and a space where metalheads finally get the lineup they deserve. Expect circle pits, hardcore loyalists, black tshirts, a lot of booze and absolute carnage. It is due to be held on 10th October 2026.
5. Lollapalooza India (Mumbai)
Lollapalooza India is where global festival culture truly darts onto Indian soil. Four massive stages, meticulous production, international heavy-hitters and homegrown superstars all collide at Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Crowds spill in from across the country to watch arena-grade performances in an open-air, stadium-sized environment.
The festival is a two-day sensory assault, on 24-25 January 2026 shall be full of neon installations, merch lines stretching into the distance, quick-turnover food trucks, and the thrill of hearing artists you’ve only streamed on Spotify tear up a Mumbai stage. It’s one of the most star-studded weekends on India’s cultural calendar.
Billing itself as the biggest multi-genre music festival in the country, Lolla India features over 40 artists across four stages, covering pop, rock, EDM, and hip-hop. The highly anticipated lineup for the new edition includes international giants like Linkin Park, Kehlani and Playboi Carti, alongside major homegrown talent.
6. DGTL India (Bengaluru & Mumbai)
The acclaimed Dutch electronic music brand, DGTL, will host its 6th Indian edition with back-to-back city takeovers in Bengaluru and Mumbai. While details are still to be announced for the 2026 edition, the festival has built its reputation by programming both international acts and local talent for artist discovery, featuring cutting-edge techno and house lineups, immersive art installations, and intense sustainability focus. Previous editions have featured major international headliners such as Anfisa Letyago, Hector Oaks, Ellen Allien, Helena Hauff, and Yotto, alongside prominent Indian performers including Sickflip, Bullzeye, and Audio Units, making the upcoming edition highly anticipated.
7. Sunburn Festival (Mumbai)
One of India’s longest-running and most commercially recognised EDM festivals, Sunburn is making a major shift for its 2025 edition, scheduled for 19-21 December this year at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai instead of Goa. The three-day event is expected to feature colossal production, massive laser shows, and high-energy sets from global dance music titans. While the full lineup is still rolling out, global EDM superstar David Guetta has been officially confirmed as one of the headliners, bringing the festival’s legendary energy to an urban setting.
8. Kappa CULTR (Kochi)
This three-day event, known as CULTR, is slated to take place from 20-22 February 2026 at the beautiful Bolgatty Palace and its environs in Kochi, Kerala. The festival blends music across various genres (including indie, jazz, funk, and electronic) with a focus on local culture, interactive art, and unique immersive experiences. It’s an ideal choice for those looking for a sophisticated, boutique festival that integrates the arts and creative expression alongside live music.
9. Magnetic Fields Festival (Rajasthan)
Magnetic Fields will enter a new era with its 2026 edition, scheduled for 13-15 February 2026 at Khetri in Rajasthan. Now branded as Magnetic Fields Nomads, the boutique festival maintains its core ethos of intimate size, highly curated line-ups that blend electronica and avant-garde sounds, and a powerful experiential focus that intertwines music, art, and the heritage of its Rajasthani setting.
10. Mahindra Blues
The Mahindra Blues Festival has spent 14 years turning Mumbai into a place where the Blues feels completely at home. Mehboob Studio fills up with soulful voices, guitars that cut straight through the noise, and music shaped by heartache, hope, and everything in between. People gather because the sound speaks for them, because it moves with honesty. International greats share the stage with Indian talent, and the city leans into every note — a weekend built on pure feeling and a deep love for the Blues. The festival is due to be held between 14-15 December, 2026.
11. Goa Sunsplash (Goa)
India’s premier reggae, dub, and sound system festival, Goa Sunsplash, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on 17-18 January 2026. Set against Goa’s signature laid-back, tropical backdrop (at Thalassa Beach Boutique Resort), it is the go-to event for lovers of chill beats, roots music, and Jamaican sound system culture. The festival is well-regarded for its authentic vibes and commitment to conscious connection through rhythm.
12. Rolling Loud India (Navi Mumbai)
The Indian edition of the global hip-hop powerhouse, Rolling Loud, took place on 22-23 November 2025 at the Loud Park Ground in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. Known for its massive stages, high-octane production, and securing the biggest names in international rap, the festival promises a landmark experience for the burgeoning Indian hip-hop and rap scene. With Wiz Khalifa, DIVINE and Karan Aujla in the lineup this year, we hope to see that festival come back in full swing next year.
13. Serendipity Arts Festival (Goa)
The Serendipity Arts Festival transforms Panjim, Goa into a multi-disciplinary cultural hub each December, with this year’s edition running 12-21 December across multiple venues. While music remains a key component, spanning classical, experimental, and contemporary genres, it’s seamlessly integrated across ten days of theatre, dance, visual arts, and culinary exploration. This annual celebration of diverse cultural discovery along the Goan coastline continues to establish itself as an essential event for 2026.
14. Cherry Blossom Festival (Meghalaya)
Typically held mid-November, the festival blends global nostalgia acts with Northeastern Indian artistry. The 2025 edition featured The Script, Jason Derulo, and Diplo, alongside local performers like Priyanka Bharali and Arupjyoti Baruah . It’s set against Meghalaya’s serene blooms, offering both cultural depth and mainstream appeal.
15. Indian Sneaker Festival (Bengaluru & Mumbai)
The Indian Sneaker Festival (April 17-18, 2026) delivers a high-energy cultural crossover in Bengaluru and Mumbai, where streetwear and live music collide. With past editions featuring Afrobeats star Tyla, rapper Lil Yachty, and electronic heavyweights Charlotte de Witte and Alok, the festival curates a lineup that rivals pure music events while offering exclusive drops from 150+ brands. For fans seeking a festival experience beyond traditional genres, its fusion of fashion, gaming, and front-stage performances creates a uniquely immersive urban playground
