Festivals, Fairs & Celebrations in Chennai

Chennai's festival calendar is densest between October and January. Navaratri, with its golu doll displays, runs from 11 to 20 October 2026, ending with Ayudha Puja and Vijayadasami. Deepavali is on Sunday 8 November and Karthigai Deepam, the festival of lamps, on Tuesday 24 November. The Margazhi music and dance season fills the sabhas from mid-December, Christmas brings midnight Mass at San Thome, and Pongal follows on 14–17 January 2027 with the folk-arts festival Chennai Sangamam on open-air stages across the city. Later in the year come the Panguni festival at the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore in March or April, Tamil New Year on 14 April and Madras Day on 22 August. This page lists festival events, fairs, melas and community celebrations across Chennai as they are announced.