By – Avni Jain
As the new year unfolds, India’s cultural calendar comes alive with a rich tapestry of festivals, performances, and gatherings that reflect the country’s evolving creative pulse. From landmark music concerts and multidisciplinary art festivals to literary meets and cinema celebrations, these events offer spaces where ideas converge, communities gather, and contemporary culture takes shape across cities and genres. January invites audiences to engage with global voices, homegrown talent, and long-standing cultural institutions, making this season an unmissable moment to experience India’s vibrant arts and cultural landscape firsthand.
Mumbai
- Lollapalooza India
When: 24 – 26 January 2026. Where: Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai
Image Credits: Google Images
A global trailblazer music festival of over three decades returns to Mumbai for its fourth edition, with a spectacular lineup featuring global artists Playboi Carti, Linkin Park, Kehlani, Young Blud and more.
Tickets live on BookMyShow.
Delhi NCR
- Indie Unboxd
When: 16 – 18 January 2026. Where: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi
Image Credits: Indie Unboxd
India’s indie fashion, food, beauty, lifestyle, and wellness brands take centre stage at Indie Unboxd, with artisanal finds to contemporary indie labels, every brand here carries a story rooted in craft, creativity, and conscious living.
Tickets live on Skillbox.
- Calum Scott – The Avenoir Tour
When: 23 January 2026. Where: The Piano Man, Eldeco Centre, New Delhi
Image Credits: Google Images
The multi-platinum artist, Calum Scott, returns to India for a long-awaited show, carrying the spirit of Avenoir, his latest album.
Tickets live on BookMyShow.
Jaipur
- Jaipur Literature Festival
When: 15 – 19 January 2026. Where: Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur
Image Credits: Vishal Bhatnagar via Getty Images
Renowned as the world’s greatest literary festival, the 19th edition of Jaipur Literature Festival is set to uphold its legacy this year, bringing together leading voices from literature, politics, science, and the arts.
Register to attend on their website.
- Jaipur Art Week
When: 27 January – 3 February 2026. Where: Multiple Venues, Jaipur
Image Credits: Jaipur Art Week
Jaipur’s historic landscape becomes a canvas at Jaipur Art Week’s 5th Edition, as contemporary artists present site-responsive works shaped by heritage, experimentation, and cultural dialogue.
Entry is free and open for all.
Kolkata
- Kolkata Literary Meet
When: 22 – 26 January 2026. Where: Alipore Museum, Kolkata
Image Credits: The Statesman
The 13th edition of The Kolkata Literary Meet (Kalam) features an expansive and distinguished lineup, including voices such as Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri, Barbara Kingsolver, Javed Akhtar, Kiran Desai and Geoff Dyer. Through conversations, readings, performances, and cross-disciplinary dialogues, Kalam continues to offer a rich, democratic space for ideas to meet, clash, and evolve this year as well.
The event is open to all.
Kerala
- Kerala Literature Festival
When: 22 – 25 January 2026. Where: Kozhikode Beach, Kerala
Image Credits: Kerala Literature Festival
Asia’s largest literature festival, Kerala Literature Festival, is set to transform the shores of Kozhikode into a global meeting ground for ideas, stories, and dialogue, with an extraordinary lineup bridging literature, science, economics, history, and public life, including renowned speakers such as Sunita Williams, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Kiran Desai, Indra Nooyi, Romila Thapar, Abhijit Banerjee, Pico Iyer, and Shashi Tharoor.
Register to attend on their website.
Hyderabad
- Hyderabad Literary Festival
When: 24 – 26 January 2026. Where: Hitech City, Hyderabad
Image Credits: Hyderabad Literary Festival
This year’s Hyderabad Literary Festival brings together nearly 300 writers, artists, thinkers, and cultural practitioners from India and across the world, creating a vibrant crossroads of literature, ideas, and creative exchange with voices such as Gopalkrishna Gandhi, Nancy Adajania, Namita Devidayal, Paromita Vohra, and Samanth Subramanian.
Register to attend on their website.
Bangalore
- Linkin Park – From Zero World Tour
When: 23 January 2026. Where: Brigade Innovation Gardens, Bangalore
Image Credits: Jesse Grant for Variety
Linkin Park make their long-awaited live debut in Bengaluru, marking a landmark moment for rock music audiences in India. The special standalone concert promises a high-voltage evening that blends iconic tracks with new anthems from FROM ZERO, delivering raw energy and the unmistakable Linkin Park sound.
Tickets live on BookMyShow.
Pune
- Pune International Film Festival
When: 15 – 22 January 2026. Where: Multiple Venues, Pune
Image Credits: Pune International Film Festival
This year’s Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) continues to champion global cinema through a thoughtfully curated programme spanning World Competition, Marathi Competition, Global Cinema, Country Focus, and Retrospectives. With an international jury, academic-led discussions, masterclasses, and lectures, the festival offers film lovers an opportunity to engage deeply with cinematic craft and cross-cultural storytelling.
Goa
- Goa Sunsplash
When: 17 – 18 January 2026. Where: Thalassa Beach Boutique Resort, Goa
Image Credits: Goa Sunsplash
Celebrating a decade by the beach, Goa Sunsplash 2026 marks 10 years of reggae, sound system culture, and community. With legendary live acts, hand-built Jamaican-style sound systems, and an unmistakable spirit of peace, love, and unity, this anniversary edition promises music, movement, and connection at its most powerful.
Tickets live on District by Zomato.
January 2026 is the perfect time to step out and experience India’s cultural calendar in full force for all music, art and literature enthusiasts. Here’s the lineup to bookmark, share, and plan around, whether you’re chasing stadium anthems, festival conversations, gallery trails, or cinema marathons.
