Kolkata Events Calendar 2026: Festivals, Concerts and Sport
The Kolkata dates worth planning your year around
September is drawing to a close, which means Kolkata's event calendar is about to pivot sharply toward its biggest season. What follows is a calendar of the city's main festivals, concerts and sporting events for the remainder of the year, ordered chronologically and updated as confirmations arrive. Book tickets early for Durga Puja and the film festival; both draw crowds that can turn venue lines into their own event. Most entry to pandals during Durga Puja is free, but plan for time, crowds and travel delays that make a single evening's visits realistic only within one neighbourhood. The concerts listed here carry the prices and booking links current as of mid-September; confirm dates and venues with the ticketing platforms before you go.
Vir Das - Sounds of India
Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium, Theatre Road, South Kolkata · Stand-up comedy · Sunday 27 September 2026, 7:30 PM
Vir Das takes Sounds Of India on the road, turning the sounds and experiences of everyday life into a larger story about the country. The Emmy Award-winning comedian brings his genre-bending tour to Kolkata — a theatrical, immersive stand-up experience unlike a conventional comedy set. Sharp wit meets social commentary in a nearly two-hour show that's as much about reflection as it is about laughter. Book on platforms that carry stand-up listings; this is a one-night-only visit.
Durga Puja
Across Kolkata neighbourhoods · Hindu festival with open-air pandals · 16–21 October 2026 (Mahalaya 10 October)
Durga Puja 2026 in Kolkata runs 16 to 21 October, with Vijayadashami on Tuesday 20 October. Kolkata effectively shuts down and reopens as a street-level art exhibition for five days. The pandals are free and open to everyone. Realistically four to six if you stay within one part of the city and travel on foot and by metro; attempting to cross between north and south in a single evening rarely works. Go early in the week to beat peak crowds on Dashami.
Red FM Dugga Dugga Festival
TBA · Music and culture festival · 10 October 2026
On the auspicious occasion of Poila Boishakh, the 5th edition of the Red FM Dugga Dugga Festival returns with an extraordinary lineup and immersive experiences designed to capture the essence of Durga Puja in all its vibrance. This festival celebrates Bengali cultural music and art, and sits one week before Durga Puja proper begins, offering a warm-up in miniature. Ticketing and lineup details typically arrive in early October on Red FM's social channels.
India vs Brazil Football Match
Salt Lake Stadium, Salt Lake · International football · Sunday 4 October 2026, 6:30 AM
A rare international football fixture in October brings India's national team to Kolkata's largest stadium for what is typically a morning or early-afternoon kick-off. Salt Lake Stadium holds 67,000, and crowds for India matches can arrive hours ahead, so plan accordingly. Tickets for such fixtures sell quickly through official AIFF channels; check the All India Football Federation's website or the venue box office for pricing and allocation.
Mahishasura Mardini Broadcast
Radio broadcast simulcast across listening venues · Classical music · Saturday 10 October 2026
Saturday, 10 October: Birendra Krishna Bhadra's Mahishasura Mardini, playing in time with everybody else who is awake. This is the annual nationwide broadcast of Bhadra's famous recitation, a Kolkata institution played on All India Radio every Mahalaya morning. Tune in on radio, or find listening venues — temples, community centres, restaurants — across the city that simulcast it. It is free and open to all.
Kolkata International Film Festival
Multiple venues across Kolkata · International film festival · 16–23 December 2026
The Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) is an annual film festival held in Kolkata, India. Founded in 1995, it is the third oldest international film festival in India. The festival is held in December, with the 2026 edition running 16–23 December. The festival screens international and Indian films across multiple auditoriums and is a showcase for independent and art-house cinema. Book early; premier venues fill quickly and some sessions do not announce lineups until weeks before.
Ritu Rangam International Film Festival
Barasat, Kolkata · Independent film festival · 28–30 August 2026 (note: already passed)
Ritu Rangam Film Festival is a homage to the cinematic vision of the Indian filmmaker Late Rituparno Ghosh. The festival strives to be a much-needed platform for indie filmmakers across the globe to showcase their creative pursuits. This festival took place in late August; for 2027 planning, mark it in your calendar for late summer.
Darshan Raval - Love Letters India Tour
TBA · Hindi and indie pop concert · November–December 2026 (Kolkata date TBA)
Produced and promoted by Team Innovation in association with Warner Music India, the five-city tour will take him to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata and New Delhi in November and December 2026. The shows will feature large-scale stage production, spatial audio and interactive elements, with dedicated fan areas and on-ground experiences built around Raval's music. Exact Kolkata date and venue had not been confirmed as of mid-September; watch District by Zomato for ticket release.
International Kolkata Book Fair
Boimela Prangan, Salt Lake · Asia's largest book fair · 22 January–3 February 2027
The annual literary extravaganza in the city will be held from January 22 to February 3. The International Kolkata Book Fair, one of Asia's largest literary events, is held annually in Kolkata, drawing millions. Established in 1976, it features international publishers, authors, and a special pavilion for a guest country, promoting cross-cultural exchange. As the International Kolkata Book Fair will step into its 50th year in 2027, organisers said that the 150th anniversary of 'Vande Mataram' would be the central theme of the fair.
Kolkata International Literary Carnival
Kolkata, venue TBA · Literary festival · 21 February 2027
Kolkata International Literary Carnival is a smaller literary gathering bringing authors and readers together for conversations and literary events. Expect author interactions, readings, discussions and a chance to discover new voices. This festival sits one month after the book fair closes and offers a more intimate alternative to the sprawling Boi Mela. Dates shift yearly; confirm venue and programming in January.
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