Delhi events in February

This is the first time the American band is heading back to India since their last concert here in 2022. This time, they’re celebrating their fifth studio album, Automatic. The set list will include newer tracks alongside all-time favourite bangers like Ho Hey, Ophelia, and Stubborn Love. There’s no better time to attend a concert – February’s weather all but guarantees a sweat-free experience. Tickets range between ₹2,000 and ₹7,000, but you might catch a resale if you’re quick.

When: February 1

Where: Huda Ground

How to get there: Since the venue’s in Gurugram, it’s best to travel to the Millennium City Centre metro station and walk to the concert venue. The ground has plenty of food and drink options.

The world’s been waiting for this one with bated breath. Who’s going to pop the champagne and kiss the silver trophy this time? The month-long tournament runs from February 7 until the first week of March, with 20 teams battling it out for the win. Delhi’s hosting five games this month.

Match schedule

February 10: Netherlands vs Namibia

February 12: India vs Namibia

February 13: Canada vs UAE

February 16: Afghanistan vs UAE

February 18: South Africa vs UAE

Finals and semi-finals will be announced as the tournament progresses, and tickets go on sale closer to match dates.

Where: Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium

How to get there: The stadium is best reached by metro via Kashmere Gate station (red and yellow lines) or Raja Nahar Singh station (violet line). Walk from there to the stadium, and we strongly advise against bringing your personal vehicle.

This is Delhi’s biggest festival of love. The annual march this year will extend from Barakhambha Road metro station to Jantar Mantar via Tolstoy Road. Allies from within and outside Delhi should flock to Connaught Place by 11am for the half-day event.

Organised by the Delhi Queer Pride Community, the event grows bigger and better each year. The march itself is frenetic, with people painting their faces in the colours of the rainbow, chanting slogans, and finally gathering at Jantar Mantar at 2pm to watch multiple performances that conclude the march.

When: February 8

Where: From Connaught Place to Jantar Mantar

How to participate: It’s ridiculously easy. Get down at Barakhambha metro station’s Gate 2 and join the crowd.

You don’t have to be a snob to attend the India Art Fair. I would even go to the extent of saying that it’s far more popular than you’d expect an art festival to be – with tickets selling like hot cakes and the entire venue packed, year after year. The fair brings together contemporary and modern South Asian artists, curators, collectors, and institutions under one roof. Tickets start at about ₹800 for a full day pass. 

What to expect: This year, the festival will host over 130 exhibitors, 500+ artists, and, as always, loads of performances, talks, and large-scale installations. Expect paintings, sculptures, photographs, experimental work by younger artists sharing space with the greats.

When: February 5-8

Where: NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Okhla

How to get there: It’s about a kilometre from the Okhla NSIC metro station. 

The theatre festival is a month-long reminder that live theatre is very much alive and kicking. Organised by the National School of Drama, events are scheduled across India and, for the first time, some in Sri Lanka – though the lion’s share takes place in Delhi.

Several plays are typically scheduled each day. Most Delhi venues are clustered around Mandi House, making for an extremely convenient viewing experience. Head to the festival website for the full line-up.

When: Until February 20 

Where: Scattered venues, but most around Mandi House

There’s nobody quite like Varun Grover. The comedian, screenwriter and lyricist’s humour often carries a political edge, which is what makes his work so compelling. Love, Death & Ketchup focuses on morbid, bizarre tales from his life and tackles two of his worst fears: death, and the world running out of ketchup. 

When: February 21

Where: Kedarnath Sahani Auditorium

How to get there: The nearest metro stations are New Delhi (yellow line) and Rajiv Chowk (yellow and blue lines). The area around the auditorium, also known as Minto Road, is serviced by several DTC buses, including routes 400 and 615. A short walk from the metro station or bus stop will get you there.

After disappointing fans with the postponement of his November concert, Armaan Malik’s returning to the city with a two-hour show – billed as India’s first musical movement dedicated to the restoration of Mumbai’s coastal mangroves.

When: February 7

Where: Leisure Valley Ground, Gurugram

How to get there: Get down at IFFCO Chowk metro station and walk for about 10 minutes. The venue is right next to the Kingdom of Dreams.

Returning for its 39th year, the mega exhibition brings together hundreds of artisans, handloom and handicraft artists from across and beyond India. Alongside stalls selling knick-knacks, rugs, furniture, ornaments and other handicrafts, the mela will host workshops, folk music, and dance performances. Tickets priced under very affordably, at about ₹200.

This year’s theme revolves around Uttar Pradesh and Meghalaya, so expect a strong showcase from these states, along with international participation from Egypt, the partner country this year.

When: Until February 15

Where: Faridabad, Haryana

How to get there: The Delhi Metro’s violet line will take you to the Badarpur border, from where the fair is a short auto-rickshaw or cab ride away.

The exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is an ode to one of India’s most celebrated, most daring artists. The show, said to have been five years in the making, is curated by Kishore Singh in partnership with the Gujral Foundation, and spans 167 works tracing the artist’s life.

What to expect: It’s an incredibly moving show. The displays encompass his works, juxtaposed with old photographs that piece together his career as a painter, collector, artist, and cultural thinker, alongside his life with his family. Much of the work spans the horrors of Partition, but also his time in Mexico. One to watch out for is Mourning en Mass, along with gorgeous sculptures and reliefs, and some of his personal items.

When: Until March 30

Where: NGMA, Delhi

The three-day literature festival features books from every genre, along with panel discussions, readings, launches, workshops, live performances, and conversations around poetry, music, theatre and cinema. 

When: February 6-8, between 11am and 5pm each day

Where: IGNCA Amphitheatre, Janpath

How to get there: The venue is accessible via Central Secretariat metro station (yellow and violet lines). The walk from the station to the amphitheatre is pleasant, and recommended.

The Songlines exhibition’s been making the rounds at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) for a couple years now, but it remains one of the most popular multimedia installations in Delhi. It’s incredibly unique and totally immersive in how it tells the story of how ancient knowledge, story and song were interwoven into the Australian landscape through Aboriginal Law. The display, which is part of a collaboration between the KNMA and National Museum of Australia, has shifted out of the former venue into the newly redeveloped Humayun’s Tomb Museum. 

When: Until March 15, 2016

Where: Humayun’s Tomb Museum, located between the tomb and Sunder Nursery. The area’s newly abuzz with a bunch of recently-opened coffee shops and restaurants – the proximity makes for a great afternoon or evening out. 

How to get there: It’s a ten-minute cab ride from JLN Stadium metro station. 

This year’s five-day festival is supported by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry of the Government of Delhi, along with partner countries Morocco and Nigeria. Films from over 50 countries will be screened across verticals including Indian showcase, world cinema, Arab cinema, NRI cinema, and a cross-border section.

The festival also attracts a sizable international audience, thanks to past collaborations with Sri Lanka, Egypt and Tunisia. This year, you may spot producer Ramesh Sippy and actors Zeenat Aman, Manoj Bajpayee, Adil Hussain and Piyush Mishra in attendance.

When: February 13-15

Where: Bharat Mandapam, though some screenings may take place at other venues