Festival Calendar
Festivals in Kerala
18 festivals across Kerala — organized by month
January
Malabar Mahotsavam
Kozhikode (Calicut)
Cultural festival celebrating Malabar's heritage. Classical music, Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Kalaripayattu, and a massive food festival featuring Malabar biryani and halwa competitions.
Bekal Fort Festival
Bekal
Cultural festival at the historic Bekal Fort. Theyyam performances, Yakshagana theatre, Kalaripayattu demonstrations, local food stalls, and folk art exhibitions against the fort-and-sea backdrop.
Periyar Flower Show
Thekkady (Periyar)
Annual flower exhibition at Periyar featuring Western Ghats endemic species, orchid displays, and spice flower collections. Held against the backdrop of Periyar Lake.
February
Ashtamudi Craft & Coir Festival
Kollam
Festival celebrating Kollam's coir (coconut fibre) and cashew heritage. Coir craft demonstrations, boat races on Ashtamudi Lake, cashew tasting, local art exhibitions.
March
Attukal Pongala
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
The world's largest gathering of women. Over 3 million women cook payasam (rice pudding) simultaneously on portable hearths lining the streets around Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. Guinness World Record holder.
April
Thrissur Pooram
Thrissur
India's greatest temple festival. 100 caparisoned elephants face off in two groups at Vadakkunnathan Temple. Panchavadyam percussion orchestras of 200+ musicians. Competitive fireworks lasting 3+ hours through the night. 1 million+ spectators.
August
Nehru Trophy Boat Race
Alleppey (Alappuzha)
The most spectacular water sport in India. 100-foot long snake boats (chundan vallam) with 100+ rowers race on Punnamada Lake. Thousands watch from the shore and boats. The finish is thunderous.
September
Alleppey Houseboat Onam
Alleppey (Alappuzha)
Onam celebrations on houseboats — special Onasadya (feast of 26+ dishes on banana leaf) served aboard kettuvallam. Decorated boats, Thiruvathira dance on deck.
Neelakurinji Bloom
Munnar
The Neelakurinji flower (Strobilanthes kunthiana) blooms once every 12 years, covering entire hillsides in blue-purple. The last bloom was 2018, next expected around 2030. When it happens, it is one of nature's greatest spectacles.
Aranmula Boat Race
Alleppey (Alappuzha)
The oldest boat race in Kerala, predating Nehru Trophy. Snake boats race on the Pamba River near Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple. More ritualistic and spiritual than the Nehru Trophy. Boats are never painted.
November
Guruvayur Ekadashi
Guruvayur
The most important festival at Guruvayur Krishna Temple. Elephant processions, all-night singing, thousands of oil lamps. Lakhs of devotees. The temple courtyard becomes a sea of devotional energy.
Theyyam Season
Kannur
Kerala's most electrifying ritual art. Performers transform into deities with elaborate costumes, face paint, and towering headgear. Enter trance states and perform superhuman feats. Hundreds of different Theyyam forms across North Kerala temples.
Chalakudy River Festival
Athirapally Falls
River conservation festival celebrating the Chalakudy River ecosystem. Nature walks, documentary screenings, river cleanup, and community events. Emphasizes the campaign to protect Athirapally from hydroelectric projects.
December
Kovalam Literary Festival
Kovalam
Beach-side literary festival featuring Indian and international authors, discussions, music, and culture. Held at the beachfront hotels. Intimate compared to Jaipur Lit Fest.
Wayanad Food Festival
Wayanad
Celebration of Malabar and tribal cuisine. Bamboo rice dishes, wild honey tastings, tribal cooking demonstrations, spice garden tours, and cook-offs.
Cochin Carnival
Kochi (Fort Kochi)
Fort Kochi's Christmas-New Year festival. Beach sports, music, food stalls, art exhibitions, and the famous burning of Pappanji (old year effigy) on New Year's Eve. Colonial-era tradition.
Kochi-Muziris Biennale
Kochi (Fort Kochi)
Asia's largest contemporary art exhibition. Fort Kochi transforms into an open-air gallery — warehouses, heritage buildings, and public spaces become art venues. International and Indian artists.
Varkala Sivagiri Pilgrimage
Varkala
Pilgrimage to the Sivagiri Mutt of Sree Narayana Guru, Kerala's greatest social reformer. Thousands of followers march to the hilltop in white. Discussions on social reform, education, and equality.