Music Festivals in India 2026-27: Dates

Nine Indian music festivals with confirmed dates from November 2026 to January 2027, plus the big names that have not announced their next edition.

Key facts

NH7 Weekender 2026: Held 13-15 March 2026 at Mahalakshmi Lawns, Pune
DGTL India: 13-14 November 2026, Bengaluru (Lalit Ashok) and Mumbai (Ballard Pier)
Hornbill Festival: 27th edition, 1-10 December 2026, Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, near Kohima
Lollapalooza India: 23-24 January 2027, Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai

India's festival season is running on fewer certainties than its ticket ads suggest. Between now and the end of January, nine festivals have announced dates on their own sites or through organiser statements, and a few of the country's best-loved names still have not said a word about their next edition. This calendar lists only what we could check on 21 October 2026: the dates, the venue, who is playing and where we confirmed it. Anything unannounced is marked as unannounced, not guessed. We will update it as organisers publish more, and we will note the date of every change.

How this calendar works

Every entry below has a date published by the organiser or reported by at least one outlet quoting the organiser's announcement. Venues are listed only when named. Lineups are the acts announced so far, which in most cases is not the full bill. We left out ticket prices except where an organiser published them, because prices move by phase and by platform. If a festival you care about is missing, it is usually because its next edition has not been announced yet; the last section explains which ones.

November 2026

DGTL India, 13 and 14 November, Bengaluru and Mumbai. The electronic festival's sixth Indian edition runs across two cities, at the Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru and at Ballard Pier in Mumbai, according to Rolling Stone India's report on the lineup announcement. Nina Kraviz, Stephan Bodzin (live), Vladimir Dubyshkin, Biianco, Phil Berg and Qrion lead the international side, with Indian DJ-producers including Praveen Achary, Parallel Voices, Tasnneem and Kibo, plus debuts from Shaun Moses, Sheral and Blu Attic. It is a techno-and-melodic-house bill, polished and predictable, with very little that would surprise a regular at either city's clubs.

Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival, 20 and 21 November, Shillong. Khalid, Swae Lee and the pop-punk band Boys Like Girls head the announced bill, with two more headliners still to come, as Rolling Stone India reported in August. The bigger news for anyone travelling is the venue: the festival has moved from Polo Grounds in central Shillong to the New Shillong Highland Grounds, which organisers say was chosen for traffic and crowd management. Our reservation is simple. For a festival in one of India's great music towns, the announced bill so far is almost entirely imported.

Royal Enfield Motoverse, 27 to 29 November, Vagator, Goa. The motorcycle brand's festival announced its first wave of artists on 31 August in a press release: Reble, Lifafa, Farhan Akhtar, Sanjith Hegde, MHR and Friends and The Think Floydian on the main stage. MHR and Friends brings together Joker, Lil Payan and Sa, per the release. This is the most Indian-indie-forward bill of the month, with Reble's rap and Lifafa's Hindi-language electronica, though the bikes and the brand experiences are clearly the main event for many who attend.

December 2026

Hornbill Festival and Hornbill Music Festival, 1 to 10 December, Kisama, near Kohima. Nagaland's 27th Hornbill Festival runs at the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, about 12 km south of Kohima, from Statehood Day on 1 December, DD News reported on 14 October. The music festival's own site lists the same dates, with evening music events from 6 pm to 9 pm. The lineup has not been published yet. Hornbill is a state culture festival first, so plan for a broader programme than a rock bill.

Mahindra Kabira Festival, 4 to 6 December, Varanasi. The 10th edition of the festival devoted to the poetry of the 15th-century mystic Kabir returns to the ghats of Varanasi, produced by Teamwork Arts, Music Plus reported in July. Expect morning and evening concerts by the river and afternoon talks. It is the calmest event on this list and, for many listeners, the most rewarding.

Echoes of Earth, 5 and 6 December, Nandi Hills, outside Bengaluru. The eco-conscious festival marks its 10th year at the foothills of Nandi Hills, according to Rolling Stone India's lineup report of 5 October. Thievery Corporation make their India debut, alongside Yussef Dayes, Parra for Cuva, MEUTE, Joris Voorn, Weval, and the Kochi band When Chai Met Toast, with Sulk Station playing a rare set. Of the big-ticket festivals this winter, this is the one with the strongest Indian indie presence on paper.

Rolling Loud India, 12 and 13 December, Mumbai. The hip-hop festival's second Indian edition has Metro Boomin, Big Sean and Burna Boy on day one and Karan Aujla and Skepta on day two, Rolling Stone India reported on 19 October. The Indian names include Seedhe Maut, Dhanda Nyoliwala, Paal Dabba and Snappy Kaal. One clear caveat: as of that report, a venue had not been announced. Do not book travel around a location yet.

Sunburn Festival, 18 and 19 December, Mumbai. The Chainsmokers and Jason Derulo headline day one and DJ Snake and Sebastian Ingrosso day two, at Mahalaxmi Race Course, per Time Out Mumbai. Sunburn's own event page lists 4 pm on 18 December to 10 pm on 19 December. Nucleya is among the Indian acts. It is the season's largest dance-music bill, and the least concerned with discovery.

January 2027

Lollapalooza India, 23 and 24 January, Mumbai. The fifth edition returns to Mahalaxmi Race Course, with Olivia Dean, Limp Bizkit, KATSEYE and Fontaines D.C. headlining, Live Nation announced. 5 Seconds of Summer, St. Vincent, Steve Angello, and a set from Stewart Copeland with Ricky Kej are also on the bill. Lolla's official site lists the same dates. The Indian names on the bill deserve as much attention as the headliners.

Already done this year

Several of the year's biggest festivals happened in the first nine months, and their 2027 editions have not been announced. NH7 Weekender returned to Mahalakshmi Lawns in Pune from 13 to 15 March 2026 with an all-Indian lineup that included Talwiinder, Prateek Kuhad, Indian Ocean and Faheem Abdullah, as Rolling Stone India reported. Magnetic Fields left Alsisar after a decade and staged its successor, Nomads, in Khetri, Rajasthan, from 13 to 15 February. Ziro Festival of Music ran from 24 to 27 September in Arunachal Pradesh's Ziro Valley, with Parikrama marking 35 years. Kasauli Rhythm and Blues held its edition on 3 and 4 April, the Hindustan Times reported.

One festival did not happen at all. Bandland, scheduled for 14 and 15 February at Bengaluru's NICE Grounds, was cancelled after headliner Muse withdrew, and organisers offered refunds, The Statesman reported. Its bill had included Karnivool, Train and Girish and the Chronicles.

Not announced yet

Independence Rock, Mumbai's longest-running rock festival, skipped 2025 after losing its title sponsor, mid-day reported, and we have found no announcement of a 2026 or 2027 edition. Our history of Independence Rock covers what it meant. NH7 Weekender has not officially dated a 2027 edition; a third-party ticket listing suggesting March 2027 is not an announcement, so we are not treating it as one. Magnetic Fields has not published dates for a 2027 Nomads.

What the calendar says about the scene

Put the list together and a pattern is hard to miss. The festivals with the biggest budgets this winter, Sunburn, Rolling Loud and Lollapalooza, cluster in Mumbai and lean on international headliners. The events with the most Indian independent music, Ziro, NH7 Weekender, Echoes of Earth and Motoverse, are either smaller, already over, or tied to a brand. That is the honest reservation about this season: there are more festival dates than ever, but fewer of them are built around the artists this magazine covers. Our piece on live gigs, venues and permits explains why the costs push promoters that way, and our list of the best Indian independent artists of 2026 is a good guide to whom to look for on these bills. Bengaluru readers should also see our Bengaluru indie scene guide, and fans of veteran rock can read our histories of Parikrama and Indian Ocean.

FAQ

Q: Which music festivals are happening in India in December 2026?

A: Hornbill (1 to 10 December, Kisama), Mahindra Kabira (4 to 6 December, Varanasi), Echoes of Earth (5 and 6 December, Nandi Hills), Rolling Loud India (12 and 13 December, Mumbai) and Sunburn (18 and 19 December, Mumbai).

Q: When is Lollapalooza India 2027?

A: 23 and 24 January 2027 at Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai.

Q: When is NH7 Weekender 2027?

A: Not announced. The 2026 edition was held in Pune from 13 to 15 March 2026.

Q: Which festival is best for Indian independent music this season?

A: On announced lineups, Echoes of Earth and Motoverse carry the most Indian indie acts, and Mahindra Kabira is the strongest choice for folk and devotional music.