The Faisalabad Literary Festival is a two-day gathering of writers, poets and readers held at the Faisalabad Arts Council, usually in the colder months. The 11th edition opened there on Friday 20 December 2024 (The Nation reported it on 21 December), and earlier editions were held in the council's Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan auditorium. We could not find confirmed dates for a 2026 or 2027 edition, so check the festival's own pages before you book anything.
That uncertainty is the honest starting point for this guide. It explains what the festival is, who runs it, how sessions tend to run, and how to build a short Faisalabad trip around it. Faisalabad is better known for textiles than for tourism, but the city has a planned colonial centre, a museum and a good bazaar day.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Venue | Faisalabad Arts Council (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan auditorium used in past editions) |
| Format | Two days of sessions, book stalls and an evening mushaira (poetry recital) |
| Latest confirmed edition | 11th, December 2024 |
| 2026 and 2027 dates | Not confirmed in sources we could find |
| Organiser | Lyallpur Literary Council, according to the festival's listings |
| Entry | Not verified; check the festival page |
What is the Faisalabad Literary Festival?
The festival started in the mid-2010s: the festival website's galleries run from 2014, and Dawn reported the third edition on 25 and 26 November 2016. By December 2024 it had reached its eleventh edition, so it has not run every year without a break. The name Lyallpur in the council's title is the city's old name, which it kept until 1979, when it was renamed Faisalabad.
It is smaller than the Lahore or Karachi literature festivals, and the sessions reported in the press centre on Urdu literature, poetry and the city's literary history. The 2024 opening was attended by the divisional commissioner and the deputy commissioner, and its organising committee included the poet Asghar Nadeem Syed and the poet Iftikhar Arif. If you know the Urdu literary world, those are names you will recognise.
What happens at the festival?
The 2016 edition gives a fair idea of the shape. Dawn described an opening session, discussions on writers such as Intizar Husain, a mushaira on the first evening and book stalls that drew a large crowd of locals. The reports we read describe the sessions as mainly in Urdu.
Book stalls and a mushaira are regular features. The festival has Facebook and Instagram pages, which are the places to look for the programme.
When to plan around it
Both confirmed recent editions fell in the last weeks of the year (late November 2016, December 2024), when Faisalabad is cool and dry. Treat that as a pattern, not a promise. Do not book non-refundable travel until the dates are public, and expect them to move.
Faisalabad has a semi-arid to humid subtropical climate, and summer is hot with monsoon rain. Winter evenings are cooler, so bring a jacket. Our guide to places to visit in Faisalabad covers the city overview.
What else to do in Faisalabad around the festival
The festival uses a morning and evening, so a day is free. A short list of things worth the time:
- The Clock Tower and the eight bazaars. The Faisalabad clock tower was completed in 1905 in Indo-Saracenic style, and eight bazaars (Katchery, Chiniot, Aminpur, Bhawana, Jhang, Montgomery, Karkhana and Rail) radiate from it in a pattern that looks like the Union Jack from above. It is the city's busiest shopping area for cloth, so go in the morning.
- Jinnah Garden. A long walk in the centre of the city. See our guide to Jinnah Garden in Faisalabad.
- Lyallpur Museum. A local-history museum listed among the city's main sights. Check opening hours on the day, since we could not verify them.
- Gatwala Wildlife Park. A picnic spot 15 to 20 km out on the Faisalabad-Sheikhupura road, better for a family afternoon than a literary weekend.
Where to stay
Choose a hotel close to the Arts Council so you are not driving across a busy city after evening sessions. Our note on where to stay in Faisalabad describes the areas, and you should book once the festival dates are confirmed.
Is it worth travelling for?
Go if you read Urdu or Punjabi, like poetry readings, or want to meet writers in a setting where the audience is mostly local. It works well as a weekend add-on to a Lahore trip: the Faiz Festival and the Lahore Literary Festival are other literary events in Punjab, worth comparing if you want a literature-themed trip.
Skip it as the main reason to travel if you need a published programme months ahead or English-language panels. For other cultural events across the country, see our experiences page.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Faisalabad Literary Festival?
The most recent edition we could confirm was the 11th, held on 20 and 21 December 2024. Dates for 2026 and 2027 were not announced in sources we could find, so follow the festival's official pages.
Where is the Faisalabad Literary Festival held?
At the Faisalabad Arts Council, where earlier editions used the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan auditorium.
Is the festival in English or Urdu?
Reports we read describe mainly Urdu sessions and poetry recitals. Check the programme if you need English.
How many days does it last?
The 2016 and 2024 editions were both two-day events.
Do I need a ticket?
We could not verify an entry fee or registration rule. Ask the organisers on their social media pages before you travel.
