LEH: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena inaugurated the three-day Ladakh Festival 2026 at Polo Ground, Leh, on Sunday, marking the start of one of the region’s major cultural and tourism events.
The festival brings together cultural performances, traditional sports, handicraft and handloom exhibitions, local cuisine, adventure activities and tourism-related attractions aimed at showcasing Ladakh’s heritage and tourism potential.
According to officials, Ladakh had recorded 4.37 lakh tourist arrivals as of September 16 this year, surpassing the total number of visitors received during the whole of 2025.
The festival features traditional archery and polo competitions, mask dances, handicraft and handloom displays, live demonstrations by artisans, astronomy and star-gazing activities, river rafting, short-film screenings and a sound-and-light show.
Addressing the inaugural function, Saxena said the festival serves as a platform to preserve and promote Ladakh’s cultural heritage while presenting it to national and international audiences. He emphasised the need to balance development and tourism growth with the protection of the region’s cultural traditions and fragile environment.
The Lieutenant Governor said Ladakh was focusing on sustainable and community-based tourism and working towards becoming an all-season destination through initiatives in winter tourism, astro tourism, wellness tourism, eco-tourism, adventure tourism and village tourism.
He said cultural events such as the Ladakh Festival create opportunities for local artisans, performers, entrepreneurs and tourism stakeholders while helping visitors understand the region’s traditions and way of life.
The opening day featured performances by the Stringmo Sisters and the Shillong Chamber Choir, along with folk and cultural presentations from different parts of Ladakh.
Earlier, a cultural parade comprising monastic groups, folk troupes, traditional musicians, horse and camel riders, and representatives from various villages and districts proceeded from Karzoo to Polo Ground, where the festival was formally inaugurated.
