The International Kite Festival (IKF) 2026 will begin on January 12 at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The festival, organised annually by the Gujarat Tourism Department to mark Uttarayan, attracts kite flyers from across the world who come together to celebrate the spirit of kite flying in the state.
This year, the festival will be held from January 10 to 14, 2026, across multiple locations in Gujarat. A total of 1,071 kite enthusiasts are expected to participate, including 135 international kite flyers from 50 countries. Participants will arrive from nations such as Ukraine, Russia, Colombia, and several others.
The highest number of international participants are from Chile, Colombia, and the Republic of Korea, with six kite flyers each. Indonesia and Israel will have five participants each, while Russia will be represented by three kite flyers.
Of the total participants, 65 kite flyers are from 13 states across India, while 871 participants are from 16 districts of Gujarat.
The IKF 2026 will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
International Kite Festival 2026: Schedule and Venues
- January 10: Rajkot, Surat, and Dholavira
- January 11: Shivrajpur, Statue of Unity (Ektanagar), and Vadnagar
- January 12–14: Ahmedabad (main celebrations at the Sabarmati Riverfront)
- January 13: Vadodara
- January 14: Hanol and Palitana (along with events continuing in Ahmedabad)