Delhi events in April

The 6th edition is in Delhi before touring the rest of the country (bragging rights if you’re a bit of a snob), and it's arriving in style. Put together in collaboration with the Amersfoort Jazz Festival from the Netherlands, the lineup is international, the venue is Bharat Mandapam's cavernous Audi 2, and the whole thing costs less than a decent dinner. If jazz feels intimidating, this is the right entry point. If it doesn't, well, you don’t need us to tell you to go.

When: April 17, Friday, 7pm onwards

Where: Audi 2, Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan 

Tickets: ₹890

Brass-tinged DJ sets, hip-hop grime rooted in Punjabi tunes, and cocktails made for a crowd that procrastinates their last rounds, all on a rooftop bar. If you've been looking for an excuse to dance on a Saturday night (when, let’s be honest, there aren’t too many good parties scheduled that way), this is embarrassingly convenient.

When: April 4, Saturday, 9pm

Where: Chica Delhi, Netaji Nagar

Tickets: ₹1,500

India's only comic rock band (yes, that's a real genre now) believes in high-octane riffs, absurdist lyrics and full theatrical chaos. Songs are literally staged (emphasis on stage) in costume, with the energy of a band that knows exactly how ridiculous it is and leans all the way in. Tickets go out fast!

When: April 3, Friday, 8.30pm

Where: The Piano Man, Gurugram

Tickets: ₹500

Triveni's a powerhouse of culture for the latter half of April, with various shows on, ranging from art exhibitions to classical dance shows, theatre festivals, musical tributes and more. Most events are free, with first-come, first-served seating. Here are the top picks:

Stray Birds: Journey Together exhibition
When: April 20-28, 11am-8pm
Where: Shridharani Gallery

Musical tribute to late Asha Bhosle: “Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko”
When: April 20, 6.30pm
Where: Triveni Auditorium

Curated classical dance evening (multiple performances)
When: April 25, 6.30pm
Where: Triveni Auditorium

Anwo Theatre Festival
When: April 24-26, 6pm-7.30pm
Where: Amphitheatre

Check out @triveni.kala.sangam on Instagram for a detailed events calendar.

Ekiden is Japan's legendary long-distance relay format. Each runner covers a stretch of a 10km route before passing the tasuki, a ceremonial sash, to the next. It's been a national obsession in Japan since the early 20th century and it's finally landed in India. Whether you see it as a festival or a fitness grind, this is bound to be a good story you tell on a date.

When: April 5, Sunday, 6.30am onwards 

Where: DLF CyberHub, Gurugram 

Tickets: ₹750

If you think museums are sleepy relics from the past, this after-hours walk by Itihasology (history author Eric Chopra and jeweller Kudrat Singh) at Delhi's National Museum will flip that idea on its head. On World Heritage Day, the duo will walk you through the history of Indian civilisation: arts of the Harappan and Gandhara times, miniature paintings from Mughal and Pahari ateliers, and the not-as-popular history of Amravati. It’s not often the National Museum opens doors at night.

When: April 18, Saturday, 8-9pm 
Where: National Museum
Tickets: Free, but RSVP mandatory

Five drag queens, ninety minutes, zero chill. Lush Monsoon, Betta Naan Stop, Hash Brownie, Whacker Cracker and Sickk take The Piano Man's stage for a spectacular that moves from Bollywood bangers to club anthems without breaking a heel. Designed by Vivek Mansukhani, Superqueens is bold and loud. First-timers at a drag show: you have been warned, in the best possible way.

When: April 2 and April 5, Thursday and Sunday, 8pm onwards

Where: The Piano Man, Gurugram

Tickets: ₹1,770

DAG's latest show is a slow walk through early 19th-century India as painted by both Indian and British artists: forts, mountain passes, rivers, and rural stretches rendered in the grand, dramatic style of the colonial picturesque. It’s an excellent way of introducing yourself to the parts of this historical era that usually are too subtle to make it to books.

When: March 28-May 3, 11am-7pm

Where: DAG, Janpath

Tickets: Free

Arthshila's sprawling month-long show marks 50 years of the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation with work from five decades of artists the Foundation has championed – pioneering names alongside emerging ones. But it's also more than that: panel talks, film screenings, interactive theatre workshops, curator-led walkthroughs and art-tech experiments fill the programme through April. Worth more than one visit.

When: On until April 30, 11am-7pm

Where: Arthshila, Delhi

Tickets: Free

Born and bred in Delhi, Rupinder Nanda and Kedar Santwani have spent years making Indian folk melodies feel at home on a dancefloor. You might know them from Khoyo, Dillagi, or even Sunflower from the Indian edition of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. When live, they go harder. The set runs till 10am, which tells you everything else you need to know.

When: 9pm-10am, April 9

Where: Diablo, Mehrauli 

Tickets: Around ₹3,000

Built on Hubhawks' vision of turning your average book event into a proper cross-platform meetup, the Penguin Books Festival brings debut voices, bestselling authors, creators, and readers into one buzzing space. There's more: face painting, exclusive merch, a bracelet-making corner, and a DIY keychain section to keep things lively. And if you're an early-career writer, the Hubhawks Nu Voice Press might just be your moment.

When: April 18-26, 11am-8pm
Where: Worldmark 1, Aerocity 
Tickets: Entry free

Rekha Bharadwaj on an intimate baithak stage. Three hundred people on the floor listening with bated breath. Season 3 of IBTIDA's Archival series doesn't mess with the formula because the formula works. Expect ghazals, Sufi shades, and the kind of renditions that make Phir Le Aaya Dil and Sasural Genda Phool feel entirely new. 

When: 7pm, April 12, Sunday, 7pm

Where: Upper HSE by Tivoli, Chhatarpur, Delhi

Tickets: ₹12,500

Think panel discussions, exhibitions, books at dirt-cheap prices, and a few giveaways the organisers will reveal only at the venue. Zubaan Publishers, known for their excellent alternative literature, are celebrating Women's History Month and Dalit History Month by putting all their titles – fiction, non-fiction, academic – on up to 60% off. Beyond a full day of browsing, there's a sharp collection by Poster Women and an intimate conversation on Zubaan's history, the making of books, and Dalit literature.

When: April 18-19, 11am-7pm 
Where: Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan
Tickets: Entry free

Dr Satinder Sartaaj’s Heritage India Tour brings Sufi poetry, Punjabi folk and Bhangra rhythms together. The kind of show where you’re legally obligated to sway before you realise you are. Tickets start at a genuinely accessible price point for what's on offer. 

When:  April 12, Sunday, 6.30pm

Where: To be announced 

Tickets: ₹1,000-₹3,000

Gaurav Kapoor has built one of India's most loyal comedy followings off the back of vlogs and sets that make ordinary life feel like material. On stage he goes further: observational, sharp, heavy on crowd work, millennial urban detail that makes you feel personally called out. This is fresh material – none of it’s online yet. 

When: April 12, Sunday, 4pm

Where: Kedarnath Sahni Auditorium 

Tickets: ₹800 (VIP available)

Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma comes from one of India's most storied sitar families and has spent his career treating the instrument as a tool for stillness as much as virtuosity. His India Tour 2026 blends classical ragas with contemporary textures and original compositions like Chanakya and Roslyn. At a venue with the stature of the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, the scale should be something. 

When: April 19, Sunday, 8pm

Where: Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium 

Tickets: ₹1,000 onwards

This is the one. The Scottish producer making his long-awaited Indian debut in Delhi: six hours, a lineup of songs you already know by heart (We Found Love, One Kiss, Summer), and a crowd that will absolutely lose it. Less concert, more techno-carnival. The set is expected to last for six hours!

When: April 19, Sunday, 4pm

Where: Leisure Valley Ground, Gurugram 

Tickets: ₹3,000 onwards

The German hard-rock legends are back in India for the first time in nearly two decades, and they're bringing five hours of it. Rock You Like a Hurricane, Wind of Change, Still Loving You, Send Me an Angel – the catalogue runs deep and the band still plays like they have something to prove.

When: April 24, Friday, 5pm

Where: Huda Ground, Gurugram

Tickets: ₹4,500 onwards

Rusha & Blizza have been building a reputation for future-bass meets Indian folk, glitchy synths over ethnic textures, bass-heavy enough for a dancefloor and detailed enough for headphones. Hits like Aankh, Dilbar and Huzur have earned them fans well outside India. The Quorum in Gurugram is the right room for this. Note: Entry is 21+ only.

When: April 25, Saturday, 9pm 

Where: The Quorum, Sector 43, Gurugram 

Tickets: ₹1,600 onwards

Delhi's Ethiopian community marks Fasika with prayer, music, and a delicious spread of Doro Wat and Injera that will make you wonder why you haven't been sooner. Also on the table: jazz music, a Habesha-inspired photo booth, and a rabbit petting zone! 

When: April 12, Sunday, noon

Where: Ethiopian Cultural Centre, Chanakyapuri

Tickets: RSVP on +91 7428 077 338 or +91 7428 077 339 

A night built around hard house and bounce music, oozing out of an intimate set from an all-female lineup: Kollision, Aayna, Nida, Sage, and Avviisha. This demands high energy, so get hydrated and get your steps in – there’s no stopping once you enter.

When: April 18, Saturday, 10pm
Where: Room XO, Gurugram
Tickets: ₹500

Kunzum's beloved Baithak is back, an afternoon of storytelling, book readings, and real conversation over really good coffee. Lean into the old-world charm with ethnic clothes and a crowd that actually wants to talk. Register soon – Kunzum weekends fill fast.

When: April 12, Sunday, 1pm-3pm
Where: Kunzum Cafe, GK2
Tickets: Entry is free and through registration

 Delhi’s iconic Aiwan-E-Ghalib Auditorium is hosting a long lineup of over 30 comedians, including crowd favourites like Rahul Dua, Jaspreet Singh, Ashish Solanki and Gurleen Pannu. Expect sharp punchlines and relatable humour, something of an appetite for Delhi crowds. Pick the best seats before tickets fly off the shelves.

When: April 10, Friday, 7pm
Where: Aiwan-E-Ghalib Auditorium, Aiwan-e-Ghalib Marg 
Tickets: ₹700

Kanan Gill did roughly a thousand shows of his last set worldwide, which either means it's very good or he's very stubborn. Probably both. The title of his next one is rather fitting, given that. The comic who broke through with Pretentious Movie Reviews has grown into one of India's most assured stand-ups. Go see why we say that.

When: April 18 

Where: NCUI Auditorium, Hauz Khas 

Tickets: ₹1,099 onwards

Rajat Sharma's 100-minute English-language play follows an ageing clown who can't stop crying, has been forced to perform this very show, and carries a lifetime of lost love and absurd situations onto the stage. It's comedy and tragedy at the same time, which is one of the oldest tricks in theatre that's survived for very good reasons.

When: April 10, Friday, 7.30pm

Where: Kamani Auditorium, Mandi House

Tickets: From ₹650