The arrival of spring in our beloved country Pakistan brings joy, excitement, colorful delights, traditions and the fragrance of blooming flowers. People in general and children and young ones in particular enjoy these celebrations due to the fascinating festive activities and cultures across the provinces of the Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

These cultural festivals captivate kids’ imagination, bringing with them a world of wonder where spellbinding traditional activities come alive. 
Several cultural and religious festivals are celebrated every year in Pakistan, like the Nowruz celebrations, the Rose Festival, Chilim Joshi,  cultural days in educational institutes, and much more. Before we discuss some of the most popular cultural activities and festivals that are celebrated every year in Pakistan with great excitement and zeal, let us define and highlight the importance of festivals:
What is a Festival?: Festival means an event and a place for celebration and joy where people happily gather. Such fairs or festivals play pivotal role in establishing an atmosphere of harmony and unity, brotherhood and affection. Festivals have tremendous social impacts. Through traditional, cultural and ethnic themes of festivals, elders pass on their splendid history, heritage and experience to the new generation.
Our Cultural Diversity: Pakistan is rich in cultural diversity, local customs and traditions. From the colorful “Mela Chiraghan” Lahore to the beautiful “Lok Versa” Islamabad folk festival, from Balochistan’s Sibi Mela to Kelash festivals in Kohistan, from Lal Shahbaz Mela to Urs Data Gunj Bukhsh, and from Horse & Cattle Show to Shandur Polo Festival, the width and breadth of Pakistan presents a noteworthy range of cultural, traditional and religious festivals.
 Our Rich Heritage: Each and every incredible festival has distinctive charisma, delight and flavor, and the true depiction of our rich heritage and history. The sociocultural and religious importance of a mela makes it unique from other events and throws an excellent party for tourists to witness the richness of our culture and traditional and societal values.
Types of Festivals: We can divide these festivals in three categories: religious, cultural and traditional. In local religious cultures, a sufi saint’s demise is not counted as death, rather it is considered as a happy moment of meeting one’s soul to God. So the death anniversary of a saint is called ‘Urs” or “Mela” – meaning celebrations.
    Let’s start from the religion related festivities in our country:

“Mela Chiraghan”– The Festival of Lights: It’s a three-day annual Urs arranged on the death anniversary of Shah Hussain, a Sufi saint who was the pioneer of spiritual “Kafi” rhymes – a unique branch of Punjabi poetry. He was an exceptional poet of the 16th century. His mela is held every spring by end March at Madho Lal Hussain’s shrine in Baghbanpura, Lahore. This is one of the largest Punjabi fairs. Shah Hussain’s admirers, carrying oil lamps in hands, gather here to participate. They enjoy kafi music with dhamal (meditative dance), and special food. 
Urs Lal Shahbaz Qalandar: Lal Shahbaz was a saint and scholar who preached religious tolerance. He lived from 1177 to 1274. His 3-day mela is attended by thousands of devotees from all over Pakistan at Sehwan Sharif, Sindh. Dhamal is the traditional dance that is performed by malangs (the devoted men or women). Part of it is the traditional Sindhi wrestling that is a motivation for the youth and children.
Urs Baba Bulleh Shah: Bulleh Shah was a Sufi poet and philosopher of early 1700s. He is regarded as “the Father of Punjabi Enlightenment” and “the Poet of the People”.  He is dubbed as the Shakespeare of Punjabi language. He gained popularity across religions and cultures. His Urs takes place at his shrine in Kasur, Punjab.
    Among the cultural related events, following are important:
Basant (Jashn-e-Bahran): Basant is the most celebrated spring festivals that is known as Jashn-e-Baharat. Lahore is considered the hub of Basant celebrations where roads and streets are adorned with colorful kites, flowers, food stalls, traditional clothing, music, dance performances, and jewelry. Kids enjoy kite-flying competitions from their rooftops, shouting ‘bo-kata’ with excitement. However, the government has recently banned the kite flying for safety reasons.
“In children’s eyes, we see a joyful sight;
kites dancing high in the wind,
a delightful experience! Basant has arrived in Lahore,
where streets are filled with laughter
and a symphony of colors brightens the sky.”
The Horse and Cattle Show: This is another most popular spring festival which is celebrated every year, especially in Sindh and Punjab. This festival aims to promote the agricultural activity by inviting the farmers to present the best breeds of horses and cattle, winning different prizes. It’s a great source of fun and amusement for the children and young ones. Displaying cultural performances, folk dances, fun and music, sports activities, and live competitions among the best breeds of animals is a treat to watch.
    Significantly last month, a seven-day event was held at the Shah Abdul Latif Football Stadium in Jacobabad, where the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) arranged the horse and cattle shows at different locations of Lahore like Fortress Stadium, Jillani Park, and Minar-e-Pakistan. The shows featured music, games especially for kids, fun activities, livestock exhibitions, and many more celebrating opportunities for everyone.
“A day of joy, and for some, a day of glee,
The horse and cattle show in Lahore
Brings smiles to children's faces,
A wondrous sight to behold.
With every clap and laughter,
We watched the animals play.
It’s a magical experience
To cherish each moment, every single day.”
The Lahore Literary Festival: In order to enlighten the children and youngsters, provinces with the federal government’s approval arrange literary festivals in various cities, particularly Karachi and Lahore. Lahore is considered the “Cultural Heart of Pakistan”. Each year, it hosts “Lahore Literature Festival”, “Think Festival”, and “Pakistan Literature Festival”. “Sindh Literature Festival” is held in Karachi. Annual literature festivals are also held in Faisalabad and Multan. “Islamabad Literature Festival” and “Faiz International Festival” are held in the federal capital, which provide a platform to showcase creativity in the form of intellectual discussions, short films, poetry, performing art, folk dances, and debates on prevailing social and political issues. 
These events help create harmony between literature and arts. This brings to light the importance of the respective provinces’ literary traditions, enhance the relationship between literature and arts, and provide great opportunities to our youngsters. This festival celebrates the diversity of Pakistani traditions, culture, and literature and explores the relationship between them that inspires the society in shaping them. The festival encourages our students and children to enhance their creativity and knowledge. It features debates and discussions on fiction, nonfiction, music, painting, films, and politics, with national and international guests.
International Book Fair Karachi: This is considered one of the best events in Pakistan, where a huge crowd from all walks of life participates. It provides a great opportunity for our students to meet and greet with well-known writers, purchase books according to their budget and interests, and witness live book launches. This develops kids’ ability to think critically and with reason. All the festivals celebrating books and arts provide a source of music, fun, and joy. Attendees of all ages — young, old, or children — are drawn to the beauty and excitement of these events. When they develop a curiosity for books and stories, they often wish to meet the authors one day, sharing tales and smiles in the process. Literary festivals offer a golden chance to writers, poets, critics, intellects, and social activists. They engage in intellectual dialogues and artistic expressions.
Kalash Festivals: Kalash, in Chitral, has gained immense recognition for its vibrant culture, religious rituals and traditional dances and dresses. Kalashis celebrate three exciting festivals each year: Chilam Joshi is a festival to welcome spring with music, food, religious rituals and dancing. For tourists this is the most popular Kalash festival; Uchal is another mela that acknowledges the harvesting season. Traditional music, dance, parties and special food is integral part of the celebrations; Choimus is the most sacred festival of Kalashi people that is held in December to celebrate the heroic demigod of the Kalash people.
Holi Festival: Pakistan has a cultural diversity; it provides equal opportunities for every religion and community. Like many other parts of the world, Pakistani Hindus also celebrate the beloved spring festival of Holi. It’s a great source of excitement for children; they enjoy throwing colored water at each other, dancing on an inspired playlist, and eating and exchanging sweets. It's also known as the festival of colors.
“Red, yellow, green, and blue,
A joyful celebration, a symbol of love and glee.
Kids enjoy the feast
and play with colors of peace,
throwing water guns while saying “Happy Holi!”
Easter: Like Pakistani Hindus, the Christian community also celebrated their religious and cultural festivals. Easter is a well-known festival, and Pakistani Christians attend every year with special services at various locations of the country and make prayers for the country’s prosperity and salvation. Children enjoy special activities such as receiving treat-filled baskets and participating in egg hunts and crafting competitions.
After church prayers, they preferred to attend family reunions and large meals for further celebrations of the occasion.
“Children sing and receive their colorful baskets
filled with eggs, sweets, and surprises.
They express their love and gratitude to Jesus 
by opening their gifts on this Easter morning.”
Eid-ul-Fitr: Eid-ul-Fitr is a special time for Pakistani people, including children and youth, that is a celebration after the end of Ramadan. Luckily, this year Ramadan and Spring have come together. Eid is a time to rejoice, receive gifts and Eidi from elders, wear new clothes, enjoy family reunions with special dishes like sheer khorma, and capture pleasant memories through photographs.
“Eid Mubarak to everyone! A time for celebration has begun.
I love to wear new clothes and enjoy sweet treats.
I receive Eidi from my elders.
Now it's time to say goodbye
and get ready to meet with friends.”