Festivals and Events in Azad Kashmir Worth Planning Around

Azad Kashmir festivals are fewer and less fixed than most travellers expect. The events that reliably shape a trip are the two Eids, which bring the biggest crowds of the year, and the national days, especially 5 February and 24 October, Azad Kashmir Day. Beyond those, the region's tourism events have been one-off or occasional: a Neelum snow festival in January 2022, a ski event at Arang Kel in 2019, and an international paragliding cup at Pir Chinasi that was cancelled days before it began.

This guide sets out what each event actually is, when it has happened, how much you can rely on it, and how to plan a visit so that you catch the lively side of the calendar without walking into closed roads or crowds.

The two Eids: the real peak of the year

Nothing moves more people into Azad Kashmir than Eid. Families from Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Punjab use the long holiday to visit relatives or head for Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Banjosa and the Neelum valley, and rooms and roads fill for several days either side.

Eid ul Fitr is expected around 9 to 11 March 2027, when much of the high ground is still in winter, so the crowds concentrate on Muzaffarabad, the Mirpur and Kotli side and the lower hill stations. Eid ul Adha is expected in mid-May 2027, about eleven days earlier than in 2026, and that one lands at the start of the summer season. Exact dates depend on the moon sighting.

If you want quiet valleys, move your trip a week away from either Eid. If you want to see the region at its busiest and most sociable, travel during Eid but book rooms weeks ahead and expect slow traffic on the main roads in.

National days: 5 February and 24 October

Kashmir Solidarity Day, 5 February, has been observed across Pakistan since 1990 and is a national holiday. In Azad Kashmir it is usually marked with rallies and public gatherings. For a traveller, the practical effect is a long weekend in some years and busier main towns.

Azad Kashmir Day, 24 October, marks the formation of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government on 24 October 1947. Three days later, on 27 October, Pakistan observes a "Black Day" in protest at the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India. Official ceremonies and rallies can close roads in Muzaffarabad that week, so check the local news before driving through.

These are political and civic occasions, not tourist festivals. They are worth knowing about mainly so that a holiday or a procession does not catch you out.

Snow events in the Neelum valley

In January 2022, after record snow and a surge of visitors diverted from Murree, where nearly two dozen snow tourists had died trapped in their cars, the Neelum district administration organised a two-day Neelum Snow Festival. Arab News reported a jeep rally from the deputy commissioner's office in Athmuqam to Upper Neelum, winter sports, a music evening and a handicrafts exhibition. It was a response to that winter's crowds, not a fixed annual event.

Earlier, in April 2019, the Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan and the AJK Winter Sports Association held a snow sports event at Arang Kel, with skiing, snowboarding and ice skating for young athletes in under-10, under-14 and under-16 groups. The association has also held winter events at Ganga Choti above Sudhan Gali.

If a winter trip coincides with heavy snow, check Neelum district and AJK tourism announcements in December and January. Bear in mind that most of the Neelum valley lies within 10 miles of the Line of Control, which matters for the safety advice below. Our guide to Neelum valley in winter covers road access in snow.

Paragliding at Pir Chinasi

Pir Chinasi, the ridge above Muzaffarabad, is the region's best-known flying site. The most ambitious event planned there was the Pakistan International Paragliding Cup, organised by the Pakistan Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association with the AJK tourism department as a major partner. It was set for 27 September to 1 October 2019, for up to 120 pilots from more than 50 countries, launching at about 2,850 metres and landing on the Muzaffarabad airport runway about 7 km away.

It never happened. On 24 September 2019 a shallow earthquake near Mirpur killed 40 people, and the organisers cancelled the cup on government instructions. We found no record of a full international edition since. Tandem and club flying at Pir Chinasi is a separate matter; our Pir Chinasi paragliding guide covers what is available on an ordinary visit.

Shrines and urs at Khari Sharif

The most significant shrine gatherings in Azad Kashmir are at Khari Sharif, about 8 km south of Mirpur on the plains towards Jhelum. It holds the shrine of Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, the Punjabi poet who completed Saif ul Malook in 1863 and died on 22 January 1907, and the shrine of Pir Shah Ghazi, known as Damri Wali Sarkar, which draws thousands of pilgrims a year.

Urs dates follow the Islamic calendar, so they move about eleven days earlier each year. Ask locally or check Mirpur news before you go. These are devotional gatherings first: dress modestly, keep photography discreet, remove shoes where asked and expect large crowds, roadside stalls and langar. Our guide to Azad Kashmir culture and traditions covers etiquette at shrines.

When unrest changes the calendar

In 2026 the biggest event in Azad Kashmir was not a festival. The Joint Awami Action Committee protests from June were the deadliest unrest in the region in years, with at least 24 dead in the first two weeks and more than 50 by rights groups' later counts, and there were internet and phone shutdowns lasting more than 50 days by August. The AJK government asked tourists to stay away from 5 to 20 June and told those already there to leave.

That is a reminder that any event here can be cancelled at short notice. Check local news in the week before you travel, and treat any festival as a bonus rather than the fixed point of a trip.

Should you plan a trip around a festival here?

Plan around Eid, either to join the crowds or to avoid them, and know when 24 October falls. Don't build a trip around a snow festival, a paragliding meet or a ski event: none has a reliable annual date. The better approach is to pick your season, check for announced events a few weeks ahead, and keep the trip worthwhile even if nothing is on. Our Kashmir destination guide covers the seasons.

Is it safe to travel to Azad Kashmir for an event?

As of September 2026 the UK government advises against all travel within 10 miles of the Line of Control, which covers most of the Neelum valley and the Leepa and Chakothi areas, and against all but essential travel to the rest of Azad Kashmir. Pakistani travellers still visit in large numbers, especially at Eid. Check local news and current police advice before setting out, and travel in daylight. If you hold a foreign passport, your government's advice may say not to go, and travelling against it can void your insurance. Our guide to whether Azad Kashmir is safe to travel has more.

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