Chennai Festivals & Events

Tamil Nadu's harvest festival and the biggest celebration of the year. Four days of kolam art, sugarcane, bonfires (Bhogi), cow worship (Mattu Pongal), and community gatherings. Government holiday across the state.

Traditional bull-taming sport held in districts near Chennai. While the main events are in Madurai and Alanganallur, Chennai celebrates with screenings and local cultural events.

National holiday with flag hoisting ceremonies, cultural programmes at Fort St. George, and school parades across the city.

Major festival for Lord Murugan. Large processions at Vadapalani Murugan Temple and Thiruchendur. Kavadi dances and special pujas at temples across Chennai.

Night-long worship at Shiva temples. Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore and Marundeeswarar Temple in Thiruvanmiyur see large gatherings.

Celebrated in pockets of Chennai, especially in North Indian communities in Sowcarpet and Purasawalkam. Quieter than in North India but visible in residential areas.

Major temple festival. The Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore holds a ten-day celebration with processions around the mada streets.

The Tamil calendar new year. Families prepare special meals, visit temples, and exchange greetings. Government holiday in Tamil Nadu.

Ten-day temple festivals at major temples across the city. The Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane holds notable celebrations.

Sabhas and cultural institutions run summer workshops in Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam, veena, and mridangam. Popular with students during school holidays.

The Tamil month of Aadi is considered auspicious for Amman (goddess) worship. Special pujas at Kalikambal Temple and neighbourhood Amman temples.

National celebrations centred at Fort St. George with the state flag hoisting ceremony. Cultural programmes across the city.

Celebrated with Dahi Handi events in George Town, Sowcarpet, and Purasawalkam. Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane holds elaborate celebrations.

Chennai's birthday, marking the founding of the city in 1639. Heritage walks, talks, exhibitions, and cultural programmes organised across the city by Madras Day organisers and local heritage groups.

Major celebration for Lord Ganesha. Large clay idols installed at community pandals across the city, followed by a grand procession to the Marina Beach for immersion.

Nine nights of Golu doll displays in homes, Carnatic music recitals, and Saraswathi Puja on Vijayadashami. Mylapore and West Mambalam are known for elaborate Golu displays.

The biggest pan-Indian festival. Chennai celebrates with new clothes, sweets, oil baths at dawn, and firecrackers. Shopping peaks in T. Nagar and Pondy Bazaar in the weeks before.

Festival of lights unique to Tamil Nadu. Homes and temples are lit with rows of oil lamps. Thiruvannamalai's Mahadeepam (visible from Chennai on clear nights) is the spiritual highlight.

Chennai's signature cultural event. Over 3,000 Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam performances across six weeks at sabhas including the Music Academy, Narada Gana Sabha, and Krishna Gana Sabha. Draws artists and audiences from around the world.

Celebrated at San Thome Cathedral, Luz Church, and churches across Chennai. Midnight mass at San Thome is a popular tradition. Christian communities in Mylapore and Besant Nagar hold community events.

Celebrations at Marina Beach, hotels, and restaurants across the city. Marina Beach draws the largest crowds. Traffic restrictions apply in beach areas.