Mango Festival Delhi 2026 – India's King of Fruits on Show
आम महोत्सव
When is the Delhi Mango Festival in 2026?
The 35th International Mango Festival runs from 3 to 5 July 2026 at Dilli Haat, Janakpuri in West Delhi. Organised by Delhi Tourism, it is a free-to-browse public showcase of hundreds of mango varieties, with tasting stalls, eating and carving competitions and cultural shows. Timings are usually 12pm to 9pm, with a nominal entry ticket.
The Delhi Mango Festival is a summer food-and-tourism fair built around India’s most loved fruit. Held over three days in the peak of mango season, it gathers growers, nurseries and food sellers under one roof so visitors can see, smell and taste hundreds of varieties in a single afternoon. Delhi Tourism has run the fair since 1987, and the 2026 edition, the 35th, takes place from 3 to 5 July at Dilli Haat, Janakpuri.
Mango Festival Delhi 2026-2028: Dates & Venue
The 2026 festival is on 3-5 July at Dilli Haat, Janakpuri. Because it is tied to the north Indian mango harvest rather than a calendar rule, dates shift a little each year and are confirmed by Delhi Tourism a few weeks ahead.
| Year | Dates | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Early July | Dilli Haat, Janakpuri | 34th edition |
| 2026 | 3-5 July | Dilli Haat, Janakpuri | 35th edition – next occurrence |
| 2027 | Early-mid July (to be announced) | Dilli Haat, Janakpuri | Usually a weekend in the mango season |
| 2028 | Early-mid July (to be announced) | Dilli Haat, Janakpuri | Confirmed nearer the date |
Earlier editions have also been staged at Talkatora Stadium and Dilli Haat, INA; the fair has settled at the larger Dilli Haat, Janakpuri ground in recent years. Always check the official Delhi Tourism notice for the current venue before you travel.
Why the Delhi Mango Festival Matters
The festival celebrates the mango, widely called the king of fruits in India, and gives city visitors a rare chance to compare the country’s huge range of varieties side by side.
A living catalogue of varieties
India grows well over a thousand mango cultivars, but most shoppers only ever meet a handful. The fair lays out around 500 varieties in one place, from the everyday Dussehri to rarities most people have never tasted, turning an ordinary fruit into a day out.
Support for growers
Orchardists and nurseries travel from across north and east India to display their best fruit and compete for prizes. Winning a variety or largest-mango award brings recognition and buyers, so the fair doubles as a small marketplace and a morale boost for farmers.
Summer tourism for Delhi
Scheduled at the height of the mango glut in early July, the fair is one of Delhi Tourism’s flagship seasonal events. It draws families, food lovers and photographers, and pairs the fruit displays with cultural performances and craft stalls.
A secular, food-first fair
Unlike most events on this site, the Mango Festival has no religious basis. It is simply a celebration of a fruit that runs deep in Indian summers, memory and cooking, open to everyone regardless of background.
The Mango and Its Star Varieties
There is no deity here; the mango itself is the centre of attention. A handful of famous varieties draw the biggest crowds each year.
Dussehri
A slender, fibreless mango from the Malihabad belt near Lucknow, prized for its sweet, aromatic pulp. It is one of the most widely eaten varieties in the north and a regular favourite at the fair.
Langra
Named for the lame farmer who is said to have first grown it, Langra keeps a greenish skin even when ripe and has a slightly tart, turpentine-scented flesh that many connoisseurs rate above sweeter types.
Chausa
A late-season mango with golden-yellow skin and very juicy, honey-sweet pulp, often sucked straight from the fruit. It usually arrives towards the end of the season, so July fairs catch it at its best.
Alphonso & Kesar
Alphonso from the Konkan coast and Kesar from Gujarat are the western stars, rich and saffron-coloured. They travel to Delhi for the fair alongside southern types like Banganapalli and Totapuri, giving visitors a true all-India spread.
What Happens at the Festival
The three days follow a loose rhythm of displays, contests and tastings rather than any fixed ceremony.
- Variety displays. Growers arrange labelled trays of fruit so visitors can walk the rows and compare shape, colour and aroma across hundreds of cultivars.
- Judging and awards. Panels pick winners for best variety, largest mango and unusual hybrids, and prizes go to the growers behind them.
- Mango-eating competitions. One of the loudest draws, with separate rounds for men, women and children racing to finish the most fruit, hands often tied behind their backs.
- Mango carving and slogan contests. Participants sculpt the fruit into shapes and coin catchy lines, adding a creative, playful edge to the day.
- Quiz and cultural shows. A mango quiz tests trivia about the fruit, while folk music and dance performances run through the evenings.
- Tasting and shopping. Stalls sell fresh mangoes, saplings and mango products, and counters offer aamras, kulfi, shakes and pickles to sample and buy.
Mango Dishes to Try
Beyond fresh fruit, the fair is a good place to taste how many ways Indian kitchens use the mango, sweet and savoury.
Aamras
Thick, chilled mango pulp, lightly spiced with cardamom or dry ginger and eaten with puris. It is the simplest way to enjoy a ripe mango and a staple of the season.
Mango kulfi
Dense, slow-set Indian ice cream flavoured with ripe mango, often studded with pistachio. Stalls serve it on a stick as a cooling break from the July heat.
Aam panna
A tangy summer cooler made from boiled raw mango, roasted cumin, mint and a little salt and sugar. It is refreshing and traditionally drunk to beat the heat.
Mango pickle & chutney
Raw mango turns into fiery aam ka achaar and sweeter chutneys that keep for months. Vendors sell jars of regional recipes alongside the fresh fruit.
Mango shakes & juice
Blended mango shakes, lassi and bottled pulp are everywhere at the fair, an easy way to taste several varieties without buying whole fruit.
Where the Mangoes Come From
Growers bring fruit from many states, so the fair is really a map of India’s mango belts.
Uttar Pradesh
The Malihabad and Lucknow region is the heartland of Dussehri, and eastern UP around Varanasi gives Langra. UP orchards supply a large share of the fruit on display.
Bihar & West Bengal
Bihar sends late Chausa and Fazli, while Bengal is known for Himsagar and Malda types. Growers from these states are regular prize-winners at the Delhi fair.
Maharashtra & Gujarat
The Konkan coast supplies the celebrated Alphonso, and Gujarat contributes saffron-hued Kesar, adding western richness to the northern line-up.
South India
Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka send Banganapalli, Totapuri and Neelam, rounding out the range with firmer, tangier southern varieties.
Visitor Tips: Do's and Don'ts
A little planning makes a hot July fair much more enjoyable.
Do
- Go in the cooler evening hours and carry water; July in Delhi is hot and humid.
- Take the Metro to Janakpuri West on the Blue Line to skip parking hassles.
- Carry small change or a wallet app for the nominal entry ticket and stall buys.
- Taste widely at the sampling counters before buying whole boxes of fruit.
- Check the official Delhi Tourism notice for the current dates, venue and timings before you set out.
Avoid
- Do not expect a religious event; this is a secular food and tourism fair.
- Do not assume every variety is for sale – some rare display fruit is for viewing only.
- Do not skip haggling at fruit stalls; prices are often negotiable in bulk.
- Do not bring large bags or valuables you will not want to carry through crowds.
- Do not rely on last year’s dates; the schedule shifts with the harvest each season.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Delhi Mango Festival in 2026?
The 35th Delhi Mango Festival is on 3-5 July 2026 at Dilli Haat, Janakpuri in West Delhi. It runs across three days in the peak of the mango season, with displays, competitions and tasting stalls open to the public.
Where is the Mango Festival held in Delhi?
The Mango Festival is held at Dilli Haat, Janakpuri, in West Delhi, near Janakpuri West metro station on the Blue Line. Earlier editions were staged at venues such as Talkatora Stadium and Dilli Haat, INA, but recent fairs use the larger Janakpuri ground.
Who organises the Delhi Mango Festival?
The festival is organised by Delhi Tourism, the tourism body of the Government of Delhi. It has been run as an annual summer event since 1987, making 2026 the 35th edition.
How many mango varieties are shown at the festival?
Around 500 mango varieties are displayed at the Delhi Mango Festival each year, gathered from growers across India. They range from common types like Dussehri, Langra and Chausa to rare and exotic cultivars most visitors have never tasted.
What can you do at the Mango Festival?
Visitors can walk through variety displays, watch mango-eating and carving competitions, join a mango quiz, enjoy cultural performances and taste dishes like aamras, kulfi and pickle. Stalls also sell fresh mangoes, saplings and mango products such as jams, juices and chutneys.
Is the Delhi Mango Festival free to enter?
Entry to the Delhi Mango Festival is very low cost, typically a nominal ticket of around 20 rupees per adult, with free entry for young children. The exact fee and timings are confirmed by Delhi Tourism each year.
Is the Mango Festival a religious event?
No, the Delhi Mango Festival is a secular food and tourism fair with no religious meaning. It simply celebrates the mango, widely called India’s king of fruits, and the growers and cuisine built around it.
What is the best time to visit the fair?
The cooler evening hours are the best time to visit, since early July in Delhi is hot and humid. Going later in the day also means livelier crowds, cultural shows and easier access to tasting counters.
If you love mangoes, an evening at Dilli Haat during the fair is one of Delhi’s happiest summer outings. Aam khaiye, garmi bhagaiye.