The festival’s underlying message was: the Eastern Himalayas are not separated by borders, but connected by culture, communities and shared experiences.
From 32 rural stalls to 150 dancers: a festival that put communities centre stage
The festival opened at City Centre, Siliguri, with 32 stalls showcasing 2,906 rural products from Bhutan, Nepal, Darjeeling hills, Sikkim and North Bengal. Artisans, homestay owners and rural entrepreneurs brought their products and stories together, giving visitors a glimpse into the diverse communities that make up the Kanchenjunga region.
One of the opening day’s visual highlights was a spectacular presentation of Vande Mataram by nearly 150 dancers representing eight classical dance forms, commemorating 150 years of the national song. The programme then moved eastward with performances by Mangka and the Laihui Ensemble from Manipur, extending KTF’s cultural canvas into the wider Northeast.
The festival also featured dance, music, art and drama competitions, Mr & Miss Kanchenjunga and ethnic fashion showcases highlighting Lepcha, Limbu, Bhutia and Northeast traditions. A 76-foot nail-art painting added another record-oriented attraction to the festival.
Darjeeling discovers a new way of slow tourism
One of the key new initiatives was the launch of The Queen’s Trail, a carbon-neutral heritage walk through Darjeeling’s colonial-era architecture and landmarks, ending at the iconic Darjeeling Railway Station.
Designed around slow tourism, zero waste and local homestays, the walk seeks to offer family travellers a more immersive way to experience Darjeeling while creating opportunities for local communities.
Tourism conversations move beyond sightseeing
At GTA Chautare in Sonada, homestay leaders, students and tourism experts from India, Nepal and Bhutan came together for discussions around rural, cultural and community-led climate-resilient tourism.
The festival’s expert panel discussions also explored adventure, sports and mountain preservation, as well as AI, innovation, wellness and tourism beyond sightseeing, bringing together practitioners from tourism, conservation, technology and community tourism.
73 cyclists, a heritage railway and an unusual journey
Another distinctive KTF initiative was Pedal with DHR, which saw 73 cyclists travel from Siliguri Junction towards Rongtong along the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway route.
The initiative also brought 20 destitute elderly women from Siliguri onto the UNESCO World Heritage railway journey alongside travel agents, writers and influencers, turning a tourism experience into an exercise in inclusion and community participation.
When football became a message of solidarity
At Sukna, the festival took a sporting and humanitarian turn with “Play for Nepal”, an exhibition football match between East Bengal Legends and GTA XI, played beside the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway World Heritage route.
Led by Padma Shri awardee and former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, the match brought several celebrated East Bengal players back together, with funds raised directed towards rehabilitation efforts for communities in Nepal affected by the recent disaster. The match was attended by Jhakka Prasad Acharya, Consul General of Nepal in Kolkata, reinforcing the cross-border message at the heart of KTF.
Celebrating women and the flavours of the East
The festival concluded with the KTF Food Awards and Aadhya Travel Awards, the latter recognising women entrepreneurs and leaders whose contributions are helping shape tourism, hospitality and communities across the region.
The awards brought together voices from Eastern India and neighbouring countries, giving the festival a fitting close that celebrated both the region’s culinary diversity and the contribution of women to its tourism economy.
24 years, and looking towards 25
For ACT, KTF 2026 was more than another edition of an annual festival. It marked 24 years of working with grassroots communities and promoting resilient rural regeneration through tourism.
With its expanding geographical footprint, international participation, community initiatives, cultural programmes, heritage experiences, expert discussions and sporting outreach, KTF 2026 has laid the foundation for its 25th edition in 2027.
Bhaichung Bhutia, Padma Shri Awardee, former Captain of the Indian National Football Team and Goodwill Ambassador, KTF 2026, expresses, “KTF has always had the potential to be much more than a tourism festival. This year, the idea of ‘Culture Connects People’ came alive through music, heritage, tourism and sport. ‘Play for Nepal’ showed how football can create solidarity and bring people together across borders.”
Raj Basu, Convenor, Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT), informs, “For 24 years, KTF has been about connecting people across the Kanchenjunga region. This edition took that idea further, starting from grassroots communities and rural entrepreneurs to neighbouring countries and the wider Northeast. As we look towards the 25th edition, our focus will remain on building meaningful connections through responsible tourism, culture and community participation.”
The festival’s message found its strongest expression in the way culture, tourism and community action came together: from a heritage walk in Darjeeling to a cycling journey along the DHR, from rural products and indigenous performances to expert conversations and football for Nepal.
KTF 2026 turned “Culture Connects People” from a festival theme into a lived experience across the Eastern Himalayas.
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