Lahore will host 10-day Basant festival from January 29, 2027
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced a 10-day Basant festival in Lahore on Wednesday and, revising the schedule, decided to hold the event from January 29 to February 7, 2027.
According to an official announcement, the festivities will be suspended for one day on February 5 in observance of Kashmir Day. This decision follows the revival of Basant in Lahore earlier this year, when the traditional spring festival was celebrated from February 6 to 8 after the provincial government lifted the 2007 ban on kite-flying via an ordinance.
The Chief Minister directed officials to organize a grand-scale festival to mark the arrival of 2027 and to promote Punjab’s cultural heritage. Maryam stated, “The ten-day Baisakhi (or Basant) celebrations will help showcase Punjab’s cultural vibrancy and Lahore’s ancient historical traditions to the world.”
A ban on kite flying and its manufacture was first imposed in Punjab in 2005, after more than 25 people lost their lives as a result. The ban was intermittently relaxed in 2006 and 2007, but was reimposed in 2007 following a rise in fatalities.
According to available records, more than 2,020 people have lost their lives in kite-flying-related incidents up to 2024. Over 90 percent of these deaths were caused by chemically treated kite strings that slashed the victims’ throats or faces.