Events in Cochin

Visit during December or January for the city's Christmas celebrations or look for top events and festivals during the year. Some of the best include:

Carnival

From mid-December to mid-January. This colourful carnival is one of the year's biggest events. It originally began as a Portuguese New Year celebration in the 16th century and has developed into a multi-cultural festival of parades, dance, music and performance.

Onam Festival

Mid-August to mid-September. This ten day festival started in Kochi and is now the state festival for the Kerala region. Based on a legend that welcomes the mythical King Mahabali, it's believed that his ancestral home was where Thrikakkara Temple stands today. Cultural art, music, dance parades and recitals appeal to the whole family.

Fireworks Festival of Maradu Kottaram Devi Temple

From March to April. The second biggest firework festival in India ends with a spectacular display.

Shiva Temple Festival

First week of January at the Shiva Temple and Durbar Hall Ground. Known for its famous elephant parade, the festival also features a 21 gun salute by the Kerala Police and Indian Navy and an impressive firework display.