International Mango Festival

The International Mango Festival is a public celebration in Delhi devoted to the wide range of mango varieties grown in India. Exhibitions bring together mango growers, agricultural organisations, food producers and visitors.

The festival combines displays of fresh mangoes with mango-based products, tasting opportunities, competitions, cultural programmes and information about cultivation. It is commonly associated with Delhi Tourism and venues such as Dilli Haat.

• Festival period — Usually held around June or July, during the Indian mango season.
• Main programme — Typically runs for about three days, although the exact dates and venue can vary by edition.

Mango diversity — The festival highlights India's extensive range of traditional, regional and newer mango cultivars, many of which have distinctive flavours, shapes, colours and growing regions.

Grower traditions — It provides a public setting where farmers and horticultural institutions can present their produce and share knowledge about mango cultivation.

Food culture — Mangoes are used in both sweet and savoury preparations across India, so the festival also celebrates the fruit's place in everyday cooking and seasonal food traditions.

The festival developed as a Delhi showcase for India's mango-growing regions and their distinctive cultivars. Earlier editions were associated with Saharanpur before the event was established in Delhi, where it became part of the city's programme of major food and cultural festivals.

Over time, the event has expanded beyond a simple fruit exhibition to include agricultural institutions, processed mango products, competitions, cultural performances and opportunities for growers to present less commonly encountered varieties.

Exhibition — Growers and participating organisations display mango varieties from different parts of India, often with labels identifying their names and origins.

Public activities — Visitors can explore fresh mangoes, purchase selected produce and mango-based foods, and take part in or watch competitions and family activities.

Knowledge sharing — Agricultural and horticultural participants may provide information about varieties, cultivation, ripening and mango production.

The celebration generally begins with the opening of the mango exhibition, followed by public viewing of varieties brought from different growing regions. Food stalls and product displays introduce preparations such as pickles, chutneys, drinks, preserves and sweets. Competitions, quizzes and cultural programmes add a public-festival element, while growers and agricultural institutions provide information about mango cultivation and varieties.

Delhi — The International Mango Festival is particularly associated with Delhi and has been held at different public venues, including Dilli Haat. The capital provides a meeting point for mango varieties and growers from numerous parts of India.

Across India — The mangoes presented in Delhi reflect regional growing traditions, including varieties associated with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. Each region has its own preferred cultivars and ways of using ripe or unripe mangoes.

• Mango variety exhibitions
• Fresh mango tasting and sales
• Mango-eating competitions
• Mango-based food displays
• Grower and agricultural showcases
• Cultural performances
• Horticultural information and demonstrations

Mango — The central symbol of the festival, representing India's diverse mango-growing traditions and seasonal food culture.

Mango varieties — Different cultivars represent the agricultural and culinary diversity of India's regions.

Mango leaves — Mango leaves have longstanding cultural uses in India and are commonly associated with auspicious decoration and traditional ceremonies.

• The Delhi festival has displayed hundreds of mango varieties from different parts of India.
• Varieties presented at the festival have included Alphonso, Dasheri, Langra, Chausa, Kesar, Totapuri, Neelam, Amrapali and Mallika.
• Mango-eating competitions are a recurring public attraction at the Delhi event.
• Festival displays can include fresh mangoes as well as products such as pickles, jams, chutneys, pulp, juices, jellies and aam papad.
• The event has involved agricultural and horticultural institutions alongside mango growers and food producers.
• Delhi Tourism identifies the Mango Festival as one of its recurring major festivals.