Ziro Festival 2026: Lineup, Highlights and What Happened

Ziro Festival 2026 took place from 24 to 27 September 2026 at the Ziro Festival Ground in Biiri, in Arunachal Pradesh's Ziro Valley, with 41 acts from Northeast India, the rest of India and abroad. Headliners and talking points included Parikrama celebrating 35 years, Sukhbir, Midival Punditz, Sri Lanka's Yohani and Arunachal's David Angu & The Tribe. Tickets started at ₹3,700. The festival also launched Cosmos, a new close-up performance space, and hosted the final chapter of the Circuit Mixers artist exchange.

This report brings together the official lineup, the organisers' announcements and coverage published during and after the festival. Sources disagree on the edition number. The Arunachal Times, quoting the organisers before the festival, called it the 13th edition, while The Times of India's post-festival report called it the 14th. Outlook Traveller says the festival began in 2012.

More facts

• Dates and venue: 24 to 27 September 2026, Ziro Festival Ground, Biiri, Ziro, Lower Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh.
• Size: 41 acts, with equal focus on Northeast India, the rest of India and international artists, according to the organisers.
• Tickets: from ₹3,700, according to Outlook Traveller. Daily timings were 11:30 am to 8 pm.
• New this year: Cosmos, a dedicated up-close space for artists and listeners.
• Producer: Pwlo Entertainment. Bobby Hano is the co-founder and director.

1. The full Ziro Festival 2026 lineup

The festival's official lineup page lists Michael Dias, Vedan, Owelle, Naledi Chai / Loving Parents, Kaali Duniya, Yelhomie, Phosphenes, GYMV, Talahib, Ritima Saikia, Apoorva Krishna, David Angu & The Tribe, NOVO, Tarang Bamboo Symphony Group, Karan Kanchan, Midival Punditz, Shanka Tribe, Shikriwal, Yesterdrive, Yohani, Zequenx, Temsu Clover, Saltaire, Shakthisree Gopalan, Swara Oza, Tribal Rain, Sukhbir, Moher, Karun, Mood Station, Parikrama, Sanjay Joseph, Fati Teniri, Ustad Sarwar Hussain Khan & Amaan Hussain, Isam Elias, Sneha Khanwalkar, the Apatani Women Association Ziro (AWAZ), The Chingleipak Collective, RAVANA, Shukesh Suklabadya, Rhythm Rebels, Blue Temptation and Lua Jungck.

2. International acts

The organisers' announcement, carried by The Arunachal Times, highlighted:

• Yohani from Sri Lanka
• Fati Teniri, a guitarist from Algeria
• Saltaire, an Irish traditional and folk band
• Isam Elias, a Palestinian-French electronic producer
• Phosphenes from Nepal
• GYMV, a synth-pop act from Thailand
• Talahib, a world music collective
• Moher, a duo from Korea

Saltaire's set was the first partnership between Ireland and Ziro.

3. Indian headliners

The announcement framed the Indian bill around "OG bhangra-pop star Sukhbir", Mumbai composer Sneha Khanwalkar, electronic pioneers Midival Punditz, Chennai singer Shakthisree Gopalan, Kerala's Shanka Tribe and Parikrama, who were "celebrating 35 years of pure rock 'n' roll". Other Indian acts included the Bihari rapper Shikriwal, Kaali Duniya, hip-hop producer Karan Kanchan and Swara Oza.

4. Northeast India at centre stage

Ziro has always given the Northeast a large share of the bill, and 2026 continued that. Acts announced from the region included:

• Sukesh Suklabadya from Tripura
• The Chingleipak Collective and the rapper Yelhomie from Manipur
• Tribal Rain from Sikkim
• Temsu Clover from Nagaland
• The hard rock band Mood Station from Mizoram
• Novo from Assam
• David Angu from Arunachal Pradesh

The Times of India reported that David Angu & The Tribe "brought the region's folk traditions into a contemporary live-music setting". The band's repertoire draws on Galo, Apatani, Nyishi and Tagin influences. "Our music is not simply a fusion of sounds. It draws from oral traditions and folk melodies passed down through generations," the band told the paper.

5. Cosmos, Circuit Mixers and the workshops

The 2026 festival introduced Cosmos, "a dedicated, up-close space designed to bring artists and listeners together." It also hosted the final chapter of Circuit Mixers, an international artist exchange supported by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia. It featured Zequenx from India, Naledi Chai from South Africa, and Lua Jungck and Owelle from Switzerland.

Off the main stages, the programme included:

• workshops at Popi Sarmiñ Studio
• the traditional Daminda dance by the Apatani Women's Association Ziro
• workshops on making and playing the paddy flute (elu)
• workshops on Apatani pottery

6. What the organisers said

"Discovery has always been at the heart of Ziro," said Bobby Hano, co-founder and director of the festival. "We want people to come to the festival without knowing exactly what they're going to find, and leave having discovered an artist, a sound or a song."

7. Tickets, travel and permits

Outlook Traveller listed tickets from ₹3,700, with the option to camp on the festival grounds or stay in hotels and homestays around Ziro. Travel options were:

• By air: the nearest airport is Lilabari in Assam, about 100 km from Ziro.
• By rail: the nearest station is Naharlagun, near Itanagar.
• By road: Ziro is connected by road to Itanagar and other parts of Arunachal Pradesh.

Indian visitors need an Inner Line Permit (ILP) and foreign travellers a Protected Area Permit (PAP) to enter Arunachal Pradesh.

8. Sustainability

Outlook Traveller reported that the festival builds with locally sourced bamboo and wood and makes its signage from reclaimed wood. Drinks are served in bamboo cups, and biodegradable Tamul plates and leaves replace plastic. The festival works with local Apatani artisans to build its infrastructure, and it is held on community land.

What comes next

The organisers have not yet announced dates for the 2027 festival. The festival takes place every September, so watch the official site. For the rest of the season, see our India music festivals 2026 calendar, our Hornbill Festival 2026 music guide and our Indian indie news roundup for October 2026.

FAQ

When was Ziro Festival 2026?

Ziro Festival of Music 2026 was held from 24 to 27 September 2026 at the Ziro Festival Ground in Biiri, Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh.

Who performed at Ziro Festival 2026?

The 41-act lineup included Parikrama, Sukhbir, Midival Punditz, Sneha Khanwalkar, Shakthisree Gopalan, Yohani, Saltaire, Fati Teniri, Phosphenes, Tribal Rain, Mood Station, Yelhomie and David Angu & The Tribe.

How much were Ziro Festival 2026 tickets?

Tickets started at ₹3,700, according to Outlook Traveller. Tickets were sold through the official Ziro Festival website.

How do you reach Ziro?

Fly to Lilabari Airport in Assam (about 100 km away), take a train to Naharlagun near Itanagar, or travel by road from Itanagar. Indian visitors need an Inner Line Permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh.

Which edition was Ziro Festival 2026?

Reports differ. The Arunachal Times called it the 13th edition and The Times of India the 14th. Outlook Traveller says the festival began in 2012.

Sources

• Ziro Festival, Lineup 2026
• The Arunachal Times, "13th ZFM to showcase 41 acts", 20 September 2026
• The Times of India, "This band should go international: David Angu & The Tribe win hearts at Ziro Music Festival", 29 September 2026
• Outlook Traveller, "Ziro Festival 2026: Dates, Venue, Lineup And Everything You Need To Know", 5 September 2026
• India Today NE, "Arunachal: Ziro Festival of Music 2026 to feature over 40 global, Indian artists", 20 September 2026

Cover photo: Arun Katiyar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).