Exciting Festivals to Watch for in the Second Half of 2024

As we head into the latter half of 2024, the cultural calendar is bursting with vibrant festivals celebrating art, literature, music, film, and design. Whether you're an avid artist, a literature lover, a music aficionado, or a design enthusiast, there's something for everyone to explore and enjoy. Here's a curated list of some of the most anticipated festivals of the year, promising inspiration, discovery, and a deep dive into the creative spirit that defines our times.

ART & DESIGN

Festival of Architecture and Interior Designing
Festival of Architecture and Interior Designing (FOAID), which began its journey in 2014, has become a premier event for the architecture and design community. This platform fosters a rich exchange of ideas and expressions through a range of conversations and conferences. This year, FOAID will take place in New Delhi on November 22-23 at the NSIC Grounds, Okhla. Known for its dynamic presentations and discussions, FOAID has featured over 70 design shows across India and hosted more than 1,000 inspirational talks, reaching an audience of over 50,000 worldwide. The festival aims to bring together diverse voices and perspectives in design, celebrating innovation and excellence in the field.

Serendipity Arts Festival
Since its inception in 2016, the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa has grown into one of South Asia's largest annual interdisciplinary cultural events. Curated by a distinguished panel of 14 artists and experts, the festival presents a diverse array of events and experiences over eight days each December, hosted across various venues in Panjim. The festival aims to drive positive change within India’s creative landscape, engaging with visual, performing, and culinary arts while addressing key issues such as arts education, cultural patronage, interdisciplinary dialogue, and arts accessibility. The next edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival is scheduled to take place from December 15 to 22, 2024.

India Craft Week
Launched in 2018, India Craft Week is a vibrant festival aimed at supporting artisans and craftspersons through a curated exhibition and sale, that happens in November. The event brings together traditional masters, contemporary innovators, and both Indian and international designers, brands, galleries, and institutions focused on craft. Highlights of the festival include a symposium, live demonstrations, masterclasses, workshops, installations, screenings, and folk performances. Previous editions of India Craft Week featured notable speakers such as fashion designers Anju Modi and Rahul Mishra, educationist Darlie Koshy, filmmaker Muzaffar Ali, and product design manager Revathi Kant. It also showcased an array of exquisite crafts, including Rogan art by Padma Shri awardee Abdul Gafur Khatri, pashmina shawls by Jammu & Kashmir state awardee Khwaja Nazir Ali, and Dhokra sculptures by national award winner Rajendra Baghel from Chhattisgarh, among other remarkable works. This year's dates are yet to be announced.

Design Mumbai
The inaugural Design Mumbai, launching from November 6-9, 2024, will celebrate the city’s vibrant legacy in film, fashion, design, and music through a four-day trade show. Held at Jio World Garden, the exhibition will showcase a diverse range of products including furniture, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, materials, outdoor items, and surface coverings. The event will feature contributions from renowned designers and brands such as Zaha Hadid Design, industrial designer Michael Young, Swiss leather furniture brand de Sede, Italian furniture maker Poltrona Frau, and artist and textile designer Naja Utzon Popov.

LITERATURE

Pune International Literary Festival
The three-day festival celebrates writers from across Maharashtra and India. Since its inception in 2016, the event has partnered with the international organization Salzburg Global and welcomed distinguished speakers, including Sudha Murthy, Shashi Tharoor, Narayana Murthy, Kiran Nagarkar, Maneka Gandhi, Jerry Pinto, Daniel Hahn, Dr. Roman Gerodimos, and Amish Tripathi. The 2022 edition of the Pune International Literary Festival featured notable figures such as art historian Alka Pande and authors Ambi Parameswaran, Anupama Jain, Bernhard Moestl, and Dev Prasad, among others. The 12th edition of the festival is scheduled for December 15-16, 2024.

Bangalore Literature Festival
Established in 2012, the Bangalore Literature Festival is an independent, community-supported event dedicated to celebrating the literary diversity and creative vibrancy of the Garden City. The festival was conceived by Vikram Sampath, Shinie Antony, and Srikrishna Ramamoorthy with the aim of grounding the event in Bengaluru while aspiring to a global reach and fostering discussions on literature and life. The festival has featured over 1,500 writers and speakers, including prominent figures such as Gulzar, Chandrashekara Kambara, Ashok Vajpeyi, Arun Shourie, Ian Jack, Shobhaa De, Ramachandra Guha, Perumal Murugan, Chetan Bhagat, and Amish Tripathi. Over the years, it has evolved into Bengaluru’s premier annual literary event. The twelfth edition of the Bangalore Literature Festival is set to take place on December 14-15, 2024, at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru.

Dehradun Literature Festival
The Dehradun Literature Festival (DDLF) is set to return for its sixth edition from November 8th to 10th, 2024, at Doon International School in Dehradun. This year's event will be guided by notable mentors including Imtiaz Ali, Ruskin Bond, and Vishal Bhardwaj, promising a vibrant celebration of literature and the arts. Over three days, the festival will feature more than 30 dynamic sessions with over 70 distinguished authors, poets, and artists. Attendees can expect a diverse program of inspiring talks, immersive workshops, theatrical performances, and engaging discussions that address contemporary issues and timeless themes. Founded by Samraant Virmani, DDLF aims to offer a thoughtful respite from our tech-centric lives, providing a platform for literary enthusiasts to explore varied perspectives and participate in enriching conversations. This year's festival will continue to honor literature while incorporating elements of cinema, music, visual art, culinary excellence, and fashion.

Khushwant Singh Literary Festival
The Khushwant Singh Literary Festival, held annually in Kasauli each October, is organized by the Khushwant Singh Foundation to honor the legacy of the renowned author, scholar, journalist, and iconoclast Khushwant Singh. This time it is happening on October 18 - 20, 2024. Since its inception in 2012, the festival has focused on promoting the values Singh championed, including gender equality, Indo-Pakistan friendship, and ecological conservation. Proceeds from the festival are reinvested into initiatives supporting environmental sustainability and the education of girls. Notable participants in the festival have included Fareed Zakaria, Pavan K. Varma, Pico Iyer, Sudha Murthy, and Vikram Seth. Each edition of the festival features sessions dedicated to ecological issues, with past speakers such as Amitav Ghosh, Bittu Sahgal, Erling Kagge, Jairam Ramesh, and Jono Lineen contributing to the discourse.

FILM

International Film Festival of India
From November 20 to 28, 2024, Goa will host the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Established in 1952, IFFI has held 54 editions to date, featuring both competitive and non-competitive segments. The festival has been an annual event since 1975. The upcoming edition will include a competition for feature films directed by filmmakers from around the globe. The previous year's festival, its 54th edition, showcased 278 films from 79 countries, out of over 3,574 entries from 106 nations. Highlights included 21 world premieres, 17 international premieres, 62 Asia premieres, and numerous India premieres.

Kolkata International Film Festival
The 30th edition of the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), organized by the Information and Cultural Affairs Department of the Government of West Bengal, will take place from December 4 to 11, 2024, in Kolkata, the state's cultural hub. Accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), this milestone edition of KIFF is set to captivate cinephiles with its promise of an enhanced, engaging, and fulfilling experience, continuing to celebrate the allure of world-class cinema in the City of Joy.

Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival
Film enthusiasts nationwide eagerly anticipate this international festival, which has consistently delivered world-class films throughout its 21 editions. The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival brings a curated selection of global cinema to Mumbai, while also presenting Indian films to an international audience. The festival is renowned for premiering groundbreaking and independent movies. This year’s event is scheduled to take place from October 19 to 24, 2024.

Dharamshala International Film Festival
For four days each November, the picturesque mountain town of Dharamshala comes alive with filmmakers and film enthusiasts from India and beyond, all gathering for the Dharamshala International Film Festival. This vibrant celebration of independent cinema fosters a unique cultural exchange. Founded in 2012 by filmmakers Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, the festival aims to inspire the local Himalayan communities to engage with contemporary global cinema and art. It also seeks to foster dialogue and practices that support the creation and distribution of local films. The next edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival is scheduled to take place from November 7 to 10, 2024.

MUSIC

Ziro Festival of Music
Set against the stunning backdrop of Ziro Valley, the Ziro Festival of Music takes place every September, hosted by the Apatani tribe, renowned for their deep connection to nature. This unique four-day festival features infrastructure primarily constructed from locally-sourced bamboo and adheres to eco-friendly principles. The event showcases a thoughtfully curated lineup of over 40 top independent music acts from across the region, country, and globe. Mark your calendars for September 26th to 29th.

Echoes of Earth
India’s greenest music festival returns to Bangalore on 7th and 8th December. Nestled among lush greenery, the festival presents a stellar line-up featuring over 40 International and Indian musicians performing on four uniquely designed stages, celebrating one Earth. What we like most about the festival is how they put sustainability at the beginning of everything. Like their infrastructure at the festival is constructed adopting environmentally conscious practices, thereby preserving the land and its integrity. As the name suggests, Earth lies at the core of the festival. Through this, they aim to create a space for people to witness sustainable practices at play, and to create awareness of a sustainable lifestyle.

Magnetic Fields
The stunning Alsisar Mahal is set to become the vibrant heart of the Magnetic Fields, a celebrated event that highlights the best in international underground music. Taking place annually at this majestic venue, the festival has become renowned for blending contemporary culture with the rich Rajasthani heritage and hospitality. It features global artists who showcase music far removed from the traditional folk tunes of the region. Attendees at the Magnetic Fields Festival enjoy a unique experience: mingling with the descendants of former royalty, dancing under the stars, indulging in stargazing, wellness and yoga sessions, and embarking on a thrilling treasure hunt within the palace grounds—all while enjoying exceptional music. The festival will run from December 6th to 8th.

Jazz Weekender
After two standout editions, Jazz Weekender is thrilled to announce its return to the enchanting 1AQ in Mehrauli for its 3rd edition on September 28-29, 2024. This year, the festival promises an even richer and more memorable experience under the canopy of the city’s most iconic Banyan tree.

Words Platform Desk
Date 14.08.2024