Plan your trip · Ziro

What's on in Ziro

Ziro's calendar mixes old Apatani festivals tied to farming and faith with one of India's best-known outdoor music festivals. Book rooms early for any of them.

Nothing dated is confirmed for Ziro right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.

The year in Ziro

Ziro's calendar runs through most of the year, with the busiest weeks in the clear, comfortable months and a quieter stretch in the heaviest rain. Broadly, Oct – Mar and Apr – Jun is when visiting is most comfortable here, and that is when the calendar is busiest — which also means accommodation is most expensive and books furthest ahead.

Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.

Across Arunachal Pradesh

Ziro Festival of Music

🗓️ late September

Four days of outdoor music in the paddy fields of the Ziro valley.

Planning: Tickets, camping and permits all need arranging well in advance.

Myoko

🗓️ March

The Apatani spring festival of friendship and prayer, hosted in turn by different village groups.

Planning: Ask before photographing rituals, and go with a local guide.

Nationwide

Diwali

🗓️ October–November

The biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.

Holi

🗓️ March

Coloured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.

Navratri and Dussehra

🗓️ September–October

Nine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.

Eid al-Fitr

🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each year

The end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.

Makar Sankranti and Pongal

🗓️ mid-January

The harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.

Myoko (usually March)

Myoko is the Apatani festival of friendship and prosperity, with prayers for good health and a good harvest. It rotates each year among groups of villages, so one part of the valley hosts while others visit. Expect priests chanting, animal offerings, families in their best clothes and a lot of food and rice beer. Visitors are generally welcome to watch; ask your host where to stand.

Dree (5 July)

Dree is a farming festival, held to protect crops from pests and bring a good harvest. The date is fixed on 5 July, with village rituals just before and a large public celebration with dance and music in Old Ziro. It falls in the rainy season, so bring rain gear.

Ziro Festival of Music (usually late September)

An outdoor festival of independent Indian and international music held at a site among the fields and pine hills, usually over four days in late September. It is known for its low-waste ethic, bamboo stages and a camping atmosphere. Tickets, a room or campsite, and your permit should all be sorted well before you travel. Expect rain and mud.

Murung (usually January)

Murung is a festival of prosperity and good fortune, held by families who can afford the large feast it requires. It is less of a public event than Myoko or Dree.

Visiting a festival respectfully

Ask before photographing priests, rituals or offerings.
Do not walk into ritual spaces or touch ritual objects.
Accept rice beer politely or decline with a smile; both are fine.
Buy food and crafts from local stalls.

The generic national festivals shown on some calendars, such as Holi and Diwali, are not major events here. See the best time to visit Ziro.

Questions

Ziro — FAQ

When is the Ziro Festival of Music?

It is usually held over four days in late September. Check the festival's official announcements for the year's dates and book tickets and rooms early.

Can visitors attend Myoko?

Yes, visitors are generally welcome to watch. Go with a local guide or host, ask before photographing and stay out of ritual spaces.

Is Dree always on 5 July?

Yes, the main Dree celebration is fixed on 5 July, with village rituals in the days just before.