Nagaland’s festivals bring together traditional dress, folk music, dance, food, indigenous games and community rituals. The Hornbill Festival is the state’s biggest tourism event, while festivals such as Sekrenyi, Moatsu, Aoleang, Tuluni and Tokhu Emong are rooted in the traditions of individual Naga communities.
Nagaland Festival Highlights
Held at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima, the Hornbill Festival brings Nagaland’s communities together through folk performances, food, handicrafts, indigenous games, music, sports and cultural demonstrations. It has been organised by the state government since 2000. The 2026 festival is scheduled for 1–10 December.
Celebrated by the Angami community on 25 February, Sekrenyi is centred on purification, renewal, feasting and traditional songs. Thekra Hie, when village youth gather and sing, is one of its recognised traditions.
Celebrated in Mokokchung on 2 May according to the official state calendar, Moatsu follows an important stage in the agricultural cycle and brings communities together for feasting and celebration.
Tsungremong is an Ao pre-harvest festival held around 1–2 August. Traditional dress, songs, dances, indigenous games and handicrafts form part of the modern celebrations.
Celebrated by the Konyak community in Mon around 1–2 April, Aoleang is one of eastern Nagaland’s major cultural festivals. Traditional attire, community gatherings, feasting and performances are central to the celebration.
Tuluni is celebrated by the Sumi community on 8 July.It is associated with abundance, crop protection, feasting, gift exchange and reconciliation.
Observed by the Lotha community in early November, Tokhu Emong is a post-harvest celebration focused on thanksgiving, reconciliation and unity. The official tourism calendar lists 6–7 November.
Celebrated by the Konyak community in Mon around 1–2 April, Naknyulüm is a Chang festival associated with the victory of light over darkness. The official calendar places it in late July, with 31 July listed by the state portal.
Celebrated by the Phom community around 1–2 April, Monyu is one of Longleng district’s main traditional festivals and forms part of Nagaland’s spring festival season.
Mungmung is celebrated by the Sangtam community in early September. Nagaland Tourism lists 3 September in its tribal festival calendar.
Yemshe is celebrated by the Pochury community around 5 October and is an important part of the cultural calendar in the Meluri area.
Ngada is celebrated by the Rengma community around 27–28 November. It forms part of Nagaland’s late-autumn sequence of community and harvest celebrations.
Celebrated around 14–15 November, Ahuna is another important Sumi festival associated with the harvest season.
Bishu is celebrated by the Kachari community on 27 January according to the state festival calendar. Dimapur is listed as its main location.
Seasonal Tourism Festivals
Held in the first week of November, this festival adds seasonal colour to a visit to Longkhum and Mokokchung.
Usually held in the last week of January, this village-led event celebrates local orange cultivation and rural tourism.
Held in the second week of May, this agricultural festival is associated with Aliba in Mokokchung.
A local produce festival generally scheduled for the second week of May in Jakhama.
Usually held during the first week of September, this festival highlights local agricultural produce in the Tuensang region.
Held in the first week of October, this seasonal event is associated with Pfutsero in Phek district.
Your festival, your journey
Tell us the festival you want to attend, your travel dates and the districts you want to explore. Our travel experts can build the route around Hornbill, Sekrenyi, Moatsu, Aoleang or another cultural event.
Festival Gateways
Nagaland’s main transport gateway and a practical arrival point for festival trips heading towards Kohima and other districts.
Choose Kohima for the Hornbill Festival, Sekrenyi and cultural excursions to Kisama, Khonoma and nearby Angami villages.
The main base for experiencing Ao festivals such as Moatsu and Tsungremong.
A useful base for festivals linked with Chang, Sangtam and other eastern Nagaland communities.
Plan Mon around the Konyak cultural landscape and the Aoleang festival in April.
Curated itineraries
Dimapur – Kohima – Dzukou Valley – Kohima – Dimapur
Dimapur – Kohima – Khonoma – Mokokchung – Tuensang – Mon – Dibrugarh
Guwahati – Kaziranga – Kohima – Touphema – Dimori Cove – Khonoma – Dimapur
Why IndianHoliday
Festival journeys depend on dates, event locations and road time between districts. We build the itinerary around the festival first, then add sightseeing without making the trip feel rushed.
Indian Holiday has planned journeys since 1990, giving our team the experience to build routes around real travel times—not just points on a map.
Tell us your dates, interests and preferred pace. Our travel experts shape the itinerary around them instead of forcing you into a fixed template.
Indian Holiday is recognized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
Indian Holiday has received the National Tourism Award twice, adding an independent trust signal to its long operating history.
The Hornbill Festival is Nagaland’s largest tourism festival. It is held at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima from 1 to 10 December and brings multiple Naga communities together at one venue.
Hornbill is the easiest introduction because several Naga cultures are represented at one event. For a more community-specific experience, consider Sekrenyi in Kohima, Moatsu or Tsungremong in Mokokchung, or Aoleang in Mon.
Nagaland Tourism lists the 2026 Hornbill Festival for 1–10 December 2026.
Sekrenyi is the main Angami festival. It is observed on 25 February and centres on purification, renewal, feasting and traditional songs.
The Ao community’s best-known festivals are Moatsu, celebrated in May, and Tsungremong, observed around the beginning of August.
Aoleang is the main Konyak festival associated with Mon and is listed for 1–2 April in the official tourism calendar.
No. Agriculture and harvest are central to many festivals, but others focus on purification, community renewal, seasonal traditions or cultural identity. Modern tourism events such as Hornbill also bring music, sports, food, crafts and exhibitions into the programme.
Many tribal festivals have established calendar dates, but individual programmes, venues and tourism activities can change. Check the latest Nagaland Tourism event calendar before finalising travel arrangements.