Pakish Events & Festivals
In Pakistan
Embedded Files
Sibi Mela
Sibi Mela
Month: February
Location: Sibi, Balochistan
Details: A historic festival featuring horse and cattle shows, folk dances, and local handicrafts.
Cholistan Desert Rally
Cholistan Desert Rally
Month: February
Location: Cholistan Desert (Derawar Fort, Bahawalpur)
Details: An annual premier off-road motor sports event featuring cross-country racing, cultural shows, and camel safaris.
Basant (Spring Festival)
Basant (Spring Festival)
Month: February – March
Location: Nationwide (Major festivities in Lahore and Islamabad)
Details: Celebrates the arrival of spring with flower shows, seasonal food, and cultural performances
Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar
Urs of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar
Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar
Location: Sehwan Sharif, Sindh
Details: A deeply intense spiritual experience commemorating the 13th-century Sufi saint. Foreigners are often drawn to the ecstatic "Dhamaal" dance performed to the rhythmic beat of massive drums.
Associated Events: Continuous sessions of Qawwali and traditional Malakhro (wrestling) matches.
Holi - Festival of Colors
Holi - Festival of Colors
Month: March
Location: Karachi, Lahore, and Tharparkar/Umerkot, Sindh
Details: A vibrant Hindu spring festival where participants gather to celebrate the arrival of the season by throwing "Gulal" (colored powder) and dancing.
Associated Events: Local cultural centers and universities often host organized Holi events for the general public.
Pakistan Day Parade
Pakistan Day Parade
Month: March (23rd)
Location: Shakarparian Parade Ground, Islamabad.
Ceremony: A massive military and cultural parade featuring aerobatics, missile displays, and themed floats.
Attendance: Visitors may attend, but security passes are required in advance, usually obtained through official government or military channels.
Eid-ul-Fitr
Eid-ul-Fitr
Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar
Location: Nationwide; major congregations at Badshahi Mosque (Lahore) and Faisal Mosque (Islamabad)
Details: Celebrated after the month of Ramzan, this festival marks the end of fasting with communal prayers and charity.
Associated Events: "Chand Raat" festivities the night before, featuring henna (Mehendi) stalls and glass bangle markets.
Mela Chiraghan (Festival of Lights)
Mela Chiraghan (Festival of Lights)
Month: Last Friday of March
Location: Lahore (Shrine of Madho Lal Hussain)
Details: A three-day Sufi festival marked by lighting lamps and traditional "Dhamaal" dance.
Chilam Joshi Festival
Chilam Joshi Festival
Month: May
Location: Kalash Valleys (Chitral)
Details: A vibrant festival of the Kalash people featuring traditional dances and rituals to welcome summer.
Eid-ul-Adha
Eid-ul-Adha
Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar
Location: Nationwide; local neighborhoods and open prayer grounds
Details: The festival of sacrifice during the month of Zilhaj, commemorating Prophet Ibrahim's (A.S) devotion. Families sacrifice livestock and distribute the meat to the needy.
Associated Events: Large-scale livestock markets (Bakra Mandis) that become hubs of activity in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
Shandur Polo Festival
Shandur Polo Festival
Month: July
Location: Shandur Pass (between Gilgit and Chitral)
Details: The world's highest polo ground hosts a thrilling tournament accompanied by folk music and camping
Kalam Summer Festival
Kalam Summer Festival
Month: July – August
Location: Swat Valley
Details: Organized to promote tourism, featuring paragliding, handicraft displays, and musical nights.
Independence Day
Independence Day
Independence Day "Change of Guard"
Month: August (14th)
Location: Mazar-e-Quaid (Karachi) and Allama Iqbal’s Tomb (Lahore).
Ceremony: A prestigious ceremony where the guard of honor is rotated between different branches of the military.
Attendance: Open for public viewing from designated areas near the mausoleums.
Urs of Data Ganj Bakhsh
Urs of Data Ganj Bakhsh
Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar
Location: Data Darbar, Lahore
Details: The largest Sufi gathering in Lahore, featuring extensive illuminations and sessions of Qawwali (traditional singing) at the shrine of Ali Hujwiri.
Associated Events: Large-scale communal kitchens (Langar) providing free meals and milk to all visitors.
Month: August (Typically mid-August)
Location: Sarfaranga Cold Desert, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Details: This is a high-altitude off-road racing event held in one of the highest cold deserts in the world. It brings together national and international racers to compete across the unique sandy and rocky terrain of the Shigar Valley, surrounded by the Karakoram mountains.
Associated Events: The rally is part of a larger festival that includes traditional Zakh (raft) racing in the Indus River, local polo matches, fire shows, and a "tent village" for tourists. It also features a food street showcasing organic Balti cuisine and local musical performances.
Eid Milad-un-Nabi
Eid Milad-un-Nabi
Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar
Location: Nationwide; central processions in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi
Details: Celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through large public processions and the recitation of devotional poetry.
Associated Events: Elaborate green illuminations on public buildings and mosques across the country.
Urs of Shah Abdul Bhittai
Urs of Shah Abdul Bhittai
Month: Based on the Islamic Lunar Calendar
Location: Bhit Shah, Sindh
Details: A spiritual gathering known for the hauntingly beautiful "Shah jo Risalo" music performed by traditional singers in the serene courtyard of the blue-tiled shrine.
Associated Events: Literary conferences and folk crafts exhibitions showcasing Sindhi heritage.
Month: October or November
Location: Islamabad (Lok Virsa)
Details: A week-long national folk festival where artisans and performers from every province showcase their heritage.
IDEAS - International Defense Exhibition & Seminar (November)
Location: Various Army Garrisons and Air Force Bases (e.g., Fortress Stadium Lahore, PAF Base Masroor).
Ceremony: Public displays of military hardware, tanks, and aircraft; often includes short air shows or para-jumping demonstrations.
Guru Nanak's Gurpurab
Guru Nanak's Gurpurab
Month: November (Full Moon day)
Location: Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur
Details: The birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism is celebrated with the "Nagar Kirtan" (procession) and continuous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Associated Events: Shrines are illuminated at night, and elaborate fireworks displays take place at the birthplace of Guru Nanak.
Jashan-e-Gilgit
Jashan-e-Gilgit
Month: November (Main ceremony on November 1st)
Location: Gilgit City, Gilgit-Baltistan
Details: This festival commemorates the independence of Gilgit-Baltistan from the Dogra rule in 1947. The day starts with a formal flag-hoisting ceremony and a civil-military parade at the Chinar Bagh, where wreaths are laid at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada (Martyrs' Memorial).
Associated Events: The week-long celebrations feature traditional polo tournaments at the historic Aga Khan Shahi Polo Ground, folk dances (such as the Sword Dance), and musical performances. There are also handicraft exhibitions and stalls featuring local dried fruits and traditional Balti and Gilgiti cuisine.
Chomas Festival (Choimus)
Chomas Festival (Choimus)
Month: December (Typically mid-to-late December)
Location: Kalash Valleys (Bumburet, Rumbur, and Birir), Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Details: This is the most important and grandest festival of the Kalash people, marking the winter solstice and the end of the harvest year. It is a deeply spiritual time involving rituals to welcome the new year, purification ceremonies for men and women, and traditional songs and dances performed around large bonfires in the "Jastakhan" (community halls).
Associated Events: The festival features the baking of special bread, animal sacrifices, and the "Cha" (torchlight procession). It is also a significant time for tribal social gatherings and the announcement of marriages, offering a rare and intimate look into the ancient Kalash culture for visitors who brave the winter cold.
Christmas
Christmas
Month: December (Peak celebrations on Dec 24–25)
Location: Major Cathedrals in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad
Details: Christian communities celebrate with grandly decorated cathedrals and midnight masses, which are open to respectful visitors and observers.
Associated Events: Christmas markets appear in local neighborhoods, and many major hotels host tree-lighting ceremonies.
Pakish-Indian Border Flag Lowering Ceremony
Pakish-Indian Border Flag Lowering Ceremony
Frequency: Daily
Location: Wagah Border (Lahore): The most famous ceremony; starts approximately 30–45 minutes before sunset.
Details: A daily military practice that the security forces of Pakistan (Sutlej Rangers) and India (Border Security Force) have jointly followed since 1959. It features synchronized high-stepping maneuvers and the simultaneous lowering of the national flags.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse